The Reason
by starzee
Summary: He wants to change and the reason is her.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own The Vampire Diaries, I'm just a fan :)

**A/N: This story is finished so I'll post chapters every couple of days until it's done :D I couldn't resist posting the 300th D/C story lol**

**This was originally inspired by the song 'The Reason' by Hoobastank.**

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 1

* * *

><p>After the whole 'sired' thing, Damon found himself continually working with Blondie. At first, she irritated him immensely until one day she asked him straight out what the hell he found so irritating... he actually didn't know. So he thought about it... and realised that he was just being a dick for no reason because she didn't <em>actually<em> irritate him. That made him kind of annoyed at himself. Here he could have had a vampire on his side all along but he was too much of a moron to see it. So he decided he would try to be nice to her instead.

Caroline was kind of shocked, to be honest. After she yelled at him, he admitted he didn't actually find her annoying at all and somehow they wound up being sort of friends. At first he was just mildly pleasant to her then after a couple of weeks at that, they found themselves laughing together, they started hanging out away from just supernatural drama and other crap, soon they were hanging out all the time... then one day, Damon woke up and realised he'd somehow completely fallen in love with her. The process took the whole school year and he didn't _actually_ realise it until the day before her prom – then she went to prom with Matt. He was totally jealous and didn't even show up at the school to 'chaperone' like he was supposed to because he didn't want to see the irritating little human's hands all over her.

He was in a mood all day the next day and he hadn't answered her calls or texts. He was just sitting in his car listening to the radio drinking away his frustrations. He'd truly hit an all time low. He realised that if he'd just turned his emotions on a little sooner – he could have been with her since they first met. He'd _had_ her and been such an _idiot_ to let her go. He hated himself because he'd royally screwed himself over. Again. The way he felt about her was so different than how he'd felt before. He'd fallen in love with her naturally. It had just happened. A slow progression as he got to know her. She was so perfect for him and he truly considered just staking himself for being such a complete and utter dumbass.

Damon thought about everything and realised that he couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't be this person anymore. He didn't want to be cold and heartless. Caroline showed him that caring for someone made you strong, not weak. She was a vampire yet she was still sweet and loving and caring... She showed him he didn't _have_ to be a monster. So, Damon decided that the best course of action would be to leave Mystic Falls. He would leave and settle down somewhere else. He would try to be who he once was. When he was human, he'd had friends, he'd treated women well, he'd been a relatively good guy once and he was determined to be that again. He figured that if he could manage that... maybe one day he could try to be good enough for Caroline. He'd thought Katherine was for him – but he'd never been enough for her and all she'd ever done was hurt him. He'd thought Elena was for him – but she'd only ever used him to her own advantage. Damon learned from his months of being friends with Caroline that it didn't have to be that way. He _could_ find love – he would just have to earn it instead of being impatient and expecting it to fall in his lap.

So Damon drove back to Mystic Falls and went to the boarding house and on his way, a song played on the radio and practically every word of the song was what he wanted to say to Caroline. The things he would never have the courage to say to her face. When he got to the boarding house, he was pleased to find it empty of Stefan. He walked up to his room and packed up his things then took them down to his car. He didn't look back when he drove away from the boarding house. He knew that in just over an hour, the Grill party for the seniors was starting so he went there.

Just as he parked his car, he noticed the Grill DJ getting out of his car a few spaces down. Damon hurried over to him and compelled him then went into the Grill. It was already fairly busy. He pretended he didn't notice the little group but out of the corner of his eye he saw them looking at him confused considering he'd been 'missing' for three days and nobody had heard from him... but he ignored them. He really didn't want to talk to Stefan, Elena or Bonnie if he was being completely honest. He noticed Alaric at the bar and he took the seat next to him. Alaric asked him where the hell he'd been and Damon just shrugged and told him he'd been tying up some loose ends but didn't elaborate. Damon knew Caroline was trying to decide whether or not to go talk to him. He hoped she wouldn't. She would make it difficult for him to leave because he wouldn't _want_ to leave her. It had been bad enough going three days without her but to leave her permanently – that would seriously hurt. He already knew he'd be miserable without her.

A couple of hours went by and he hadn't looked over at them once. He didn't want to. The Grill was packed to the brim and then the slow song half hour started and the DJ lifted the microphone to his lips.

"The next song is for Caroline Forbes." The DJ said then the song started to play. Damon still didn't look. Caroline was surprised then she heard what song was playing.

_I'm not a perfect person_

_There's many things I wish I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

_I found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

Damon finally got the courage to turn around in his seat and his eyes locked with hers. Caroline knew in that moment that he'd put the song on for her. Damon stared into her eyes.

_I'm sorry that I hurt you_

_It's something I must live with everyday_

_And all the pain I put you through_

_I wish that I could take it all away_

He looked down then as he couldn't keep the eye contact. He loved her so much and if there was only one thing he could change, it would be how he treated her.

_And be the one who catches all your tears_

_That's why I need you to hear_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

_And the reason is you_

His gaze locked with hers again. The rest of her table were oblivious to them looking at each other. Caroline couldn't understand what he was trying to tell her. She gathered that he was apologising for everything he did, but she'd thought they were way past all of that.

_I'm not a perfect person_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

Damon saw the flash of panic in her eyes at that line. That's when it hit her. He was leaving.

_That I just want you to know_

_I found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

Caroline knew what the next lines were and the look he gave her showed that he meant them.

_I found a reason to show_

_A side of me you didn't know_

_A reason for all that I do_

_And the reason is you_.

Damon gave her a small smile then downed his drink. He pulled out money and put it on the bar. Ric looked at him surprised considering he was leaving in the middle of the party.

"Take care of yourself, Ric." Damon said putting one hand on the other man's shoulder. Ric looked confused.

"What?" He asked and Damon smirked.

"Just..." Damon trailed off. "I know I was the cause of most of them, but don't go and get yourself killed." He said then turned on his heel and made his way out of the Grill. Damon looked over at the table and Stefan's jaw was dropped as he stared at him. Stefan knew. He could see it written all over his brother's face. "See you in fifteen years, brother." Damon said with a devious smile knowing Stefan would hear him anyway and Stefan's expression paled. Damon saluted them as all four of them were looking at him now then he left the Grill. Caroline bolted from the table and hurried out the door and caught him just as he got to his car.

"Why are you leaving?" She asked him panicked and confused. Damon looked at her face and memorised every feature. He wasn't one for photographs but he'd taken all of the ones he had of the two of them from the past few months of them being friends.

"Because I don't want to be a monster anymore." He said to her softly as he put his hand on her cheek. She leaned into his touch and her expression was one of worry and sadness.

"You're not a monster, Damon." She said confused and he smiled at her.

"Yeah, I am. But I'll work on it." He said. "You make me want to be better, Caroline. You make me want to feel and care and have a life and friends and all of it. But I can't until I fix my head." He explained and it was obvious that she was surprised at him admitting that.

"Why me?" She asked sceptically and he chuckled.

"Because you're perfect and I'm completely head over heels in love with you." He said sincerely with a small smile and her jaw dropped. Stefan had followed after her but either Damon didn't notice or he didn't care that Stefan could hear what he was saying. Stefan was floored at everything Damon told Caroline.

"What?" She asked and Damon was sure he'd never seen anyone look so shocked before. He chuckled at that.

"Klaus is dead, the supernatural threat is gone, you'll be safe here now... you know, as long as you don't make anymore werewolf friends." He smirked and she rolled her eyes. "So I'm going to go fix my head and one day I'll track you down and try to convince you to give me a second chance because I think you might be the most incredible creature I've ever come across and don't ever let anyone make you feel any differently. I'll miss you." He said softly and Caroline's eyes watered but she was just so shocked. Damon was kind of amused that the one time he hadn't even tried to make her stop talking, she did. He saw that she was speechless. He'd truly shocked her. He kissed her cheek then jumped in his car.

"Damon! Wait! Don't go!" Caroline exclaimed and he shook his head.

"I'll find you." He said knowing she would hear then he pulled out of the parking space and drove away. In the rear view mirror he saw Caroline burst into tears and as much as it killed him to do it – he kept going. He didn't deserve her. Not yet. But he planned to make himself deserve her. He'd find a way, even if it killed him.

Stefan ran over to Caroline and hugged her and she cried into his chest.

"He didn't even give me a chance to tell him." She sobbed and Stefan rubbed her back.

"Tell him what?" Stefan asked.

"That I love him too." She said and Stefan sighed. He knew Caroline had feelings for Damon already but he hadn't known that Damon returned them. He hadn't honestly been paying attention to what Damon was up to and he was kind of annoyed at himself for that. Maybe if he'd known, he could have helped.

"Give him a couple of months to think all of this over then I'll help you find him, Caroline. I know my brother and his patterns. He'll be easy to find." Stefan said to her soothingly and she nodded against his chest.

* * *

><p>It turned out that Damon was <em>not<em> easy to find. Stefan and Caroline checked all of his usual haunts all across the world. They checked in with vampire friends of Damon's, they checked in all of Damon's favourite places – he wasn't anywhere to be found. Honestly, Stefan was really worried that he was dead considering he wasn't anywhere and nobody had heard from or seen him. It was like he disappeared off the face of the planet. By the time Stefan reached that conclusion, he and Caroline had been looking for Damon for over four years. At first, Stefan hadn't been trying all that hard.

Then he got kind of worried and spent more and more time looking. He lost interest in Elena because she'd more or less said that she couldn't care less where Damon was considering she didn't need him to protect her anymore. Stefan was kind of outraged at that and he dumped her. After that, he and Caroline put all of their energy into finding Damon. Bonnie had 'disappeared' after high school. She'd cut contact with everyone and they all gathered that she wanted a life away from the supernatural drama. After over four years of searching, Caroline talked Stefan into finding Bonnie and asking her for help. Stefan reluctantly agreed.

Caroline knew that Bonnie went to college in Michigan so she would be near family. Stefan and Caroline hopped on the next flight there then went straight to Davenport University. They made their way to the student records office and compelled them. Luckily, Bonnie was still a student there and they got her address. Caroline didn't want to face Bonnie. Caroline was worried that Bonnie wouldn't want to speak to her and that would hurt, so she stayed around the corner while Stefan went to her door and knocked. The door opened and there stood a 22 year old Bonnie Bennett with her jaw dropped.

"Stefan." She said shocked and he smiled. He could hear that she was the only one there so he could speak freely.

"Hi, Bonnie. I know that you don't want to be involved in the supernatural world so I won't bother you for long... but I will literally give you a million dollars if you can do a locator spell for me." Stefan said and she looked stunned.

"A _million_ dollars just for a locator spell? Are you nuts?" She asked him in disbelief.

"No. I'm worried that Damon's dead because I've been looking for him for over four years and I can't find him and he's Damon, I can always find him. I'll do anything for it." He said and Bonnie could see the worry all over his face. She sighed. Damon had grown on her in the last few months in Mystic Falls and she didn't want him dead. She kind of wanted to know that he wasn't dead somewhere too.

"Stefan, I'll do the spell but you don't have to give me anything for it. I know how much he means to you. And tell Caroline I can sense her so she might as well come here." Bonnie smirked and Stefan chuckled.

"Care!" He called and Caroline appeared in a blink.

"Come on in, you two." Bonnie smiled.

* * *

><p>The three of them caught up. A couple of years away from the drama had given Bonnie time to think and she knew she was wrong to cut ties with everyone. She apologised to both of them for that and she asked if they could stay in touch. Caroline was thrilled to hear that and she promised she would.<p>

Bonnie got a map and used a drop of Stefan's blood for the spell. The blood started to move so Damon was definitely still alive – well as alive as a vampire could be.

"He's in Fort Collins, Colorado." Bonnie said and Stefan looked really confused as to why the _hell_ Damon would be there.

* * *

><p>On the flight there, Stefan and Caroline talked over how they would find Damon. Stefan really couldn't understand why Damon would be in Fort Collins considering it was a well known college town for Colorado State University. Caroline suggested that they compel the college and see if he's studying there. Stefan laughed and said it was ridiculous but he agreed anyway as they had to start somewhere.<p>

They made their way to the records office.

"Hello, we're looking for Damon Salvatore." Stefan said to the receptionist who smiled immediately.

"Let me just check his schedule." She said to them and they both glanced at each other curiously and a little confused as she obviously knew who they were there to find. She typed a few keys on the computer then looked up at them. "Professor Salvatore is teaching at the moment over in the next block in the main hall." She said and Stefan and Caroline felt like they _may_ fall over in shock.

"Teaching?" Stefan asked her because he couldn't stop himself.

"Yes, his current class is Life Sciences 103 – Biology of Organisms." She smiled. "You know, he's one of the most popular Professors on campus." She said proudly and Stefan nodded unsure what the hell to say to that.

"Thank you for your help." Caroline smiled at the woman sweetly then dragged Stefan out of the office.

"_Professor_ Salvatore?" Stefan asked her in disbelief and she giggled.

"We found him, Stef. Now let's go see him in action." She smirked and Stefan chuckled.

He couldn't _wait _to see _this_.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own The Vampire Diaries, I'm just a fan :)

**A/N: Thanks so much for the lovely reviews for chapter 1. I hope you like this chapter :)**

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>The two of them snuck into the back of the hall and their jaws dropped at the sight of Damon up at the podium but the back of the hall was dark and Damon made no indication that he noticed their arrival. He was wearing black slacks, a black v neck sweater with a white shirt underneath it so the collar was sticking out and he had black thick rimmed sexy glasses on and his hair was a fair bit shorter. Caroline thought he looked <em>seriously<em> hot like that.

"Who can tell me what a model organism is?" Damon asked them and there was a show of hands. "Mark?" He asked.

"A model organism is an exemplary representation of a group of organisms that can be used for research purposes typically because they can be bred cheap and easily." Mark said and Damon smirked.

"Good. Now what is a good model organism that can be used because they have similarities to humans?" He asked and there was a show of hands. "Lara?" He asked.

"A mouse." She replied and he cocked an eyebrow.

"A mouse? You're all science nerds, give me better than 'a mouse', Lara." He said. Stefan and Caroline were dying to laugh at him saying that.

"Mus musculus." Lara said and Damon smiled.

"Very good. Why is Mus musculus the most relevant model organism for human study?" He asked and nobody raised their hands. "Seriously? Nobody read the chapter?" He asked amused and they chuckled. "I don't believe that. If nobody volunteers, I'll just pick someone to answer it." He smirked. "Gill?" He said with a million dollar smile. Gill was his first year star student.

"Oh, c'mon, Damon." She complained and he chuckled.

"I usually can't get you to shut up, Gill." He pointed out and the students laughed.

"You had to call on me today of all days?" She muttered and he smirked. She was _visibly_ hung over.

"Well, you're usually my star student." He said amused and she smiled at him saying that. "This is taking way too long so take notes because I'm not telling you again." He teased them. "The mouse and human genomes are approximately the same size, they contain the same number of genes and show extensive conserved gene order or 'synteny'. Remember synteny, it'll possibly be on the test." He said. "Most human genes have mouse counterparts and the functions of those genes are closely related. Mutations in the genes that cause diseases in humans regularly cause similar diseases in mice. But an important key factor as to why mice are most relevant to human study is the fact that mice have genes that aren't represented in other animal models like the fruit fly and nematode worm, including genes of the immune system." He explained and the class all took notes. Stefan and Caroline were fascinated because none of the students were talking, they were all paying attention and they seemed to like Damon... That and the fact Damon clearly knew all about the subject matter considering he didn't look at notes or anything as he wandered around lecturing the class. He checked his phone then. "We've only got like twenty minutes left and since all of you are clearly hung over or something, we'll stick to the easy stuff." He smirked and they laughed. There was a raised hand then. "What's up, Sarah?" He asked.

"When's the class test?" She asked.

"Well, my dear, if you read the handout I gave you all last week, you would _know_." He teased and they laughed. "But obviously it's currently in a pile somewhere next to all of the other college crap none of you have read." He smirked and they laughed. Stefan and Caroline were highly amused by Damon saying 'college crap' to the class. "It's on Tuesday. I was going to make it Monday but that's a bit of a dick move after the weekend, right?" He asked and they laughed and there were cheers of agreement. There was another raised hand. "Allan?" He asked. Stefan and Caroline were surprised that Damon clearly knew all of his students' names.

"Is it just chapters nine through twelve or is it the whole semester so far?" He asked.

"It's a class test, dude, not an exam. It's just nine through twelve." Damon said amused and they chuckled. "Might I point out that the hand out _also_ specified that." He smirked and they laughed. "I'm not printing this crap off for you guys anymore." He chuckled. "It's on the website anyway if any of you feel like _actually _reading the handout I spent over an hour making up." He said and they all laughed a little. Stefan and Caroline were highly amused by Damon's behaviour... that and he was clearly a good teacher. "Anyway, a couple more questions then I'll let you go for lunch early." He said. "One example of a fish model organism." Damon said. "Caleb?"

"The zebrafish or Danio reiro." He said.

"Good. Why Danio reiro?" Damon asked. "Uh... let's see... Abby?" He called to the girl at the back.

"Because of it's experimental and genetic amenability." She replied.

"That _is_ the right answer but on the test I want a more detailed explanation so flesh that out a little." Damon said and Stefan chuckled at him actually sounding teacher-like and Damon's head snapped up in his direction and his eyes widened a little at the sight of Stefan and Caroline. "Uh... guys, you can head out now. I'll see you tomorrow. If you didn't read the chapter, read it because I'll have plenty more questions for you tomorrow. Have a good lunch." He said then the class got up and packed away their notebooks and bags then started leaving the hall. Several students said bye to Damon and he chatted to a couple of them who asked a few questions. Damon took a deep breath then walked off the small stage and went up to the back corner of the hall where Stefan and Caroline stood waiting for him. He took off his glasses and stuck them in his pocket. "Hey... uh... what are you two doing here?" He asked them surprised.

"What are _we_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here?" Stefan asked his brother and Damon rolled his eyes.

"I think it was pretty obvious that I was teaching a class, Stefan." Damon said.

"Yeah, but why?" Stefan asked confused and Damon shrugged.

"I've been doing it for just over three years." He said shocking the two of them. "I like it. I'm good at it." He explained.

"You looked like you were enjoying it." Caroline smiled at him fondly. "It's good to see you, Damon." She said then hugged him and he had to admit he was _very_ happy to see her too.

"I missed you, Caroline." He replied honestly as he hugged her back and she smiled.

"I missed you too." She said as she pulled away.

"We've spent the last four years looking for you." Stefan said and Damon looked shocked.

"What? Why?" He asked confused. "Did something happen?" He asked.

"Well, considering nobody you usually see when you travel had seen you or heard of anyone seeing you, I thought you were dead." Stefan said annoyed and Damon sighed.

"I didn't go to my usual haunts." Damon admitted.

"You never even called. I thought things were different after everything we went through in Mystic Falls. I thought... I thought you'd want to keep in touch with me now." Stefan said and Damon could tell he was hurt.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I just needed time." Damon replied. "I do want a relationship with you though." He said and internally Stefan was shocked at him being so straightforward about that. But both Stefan and Caroline could see that he'd clearly changed a fair bit in four years.

"So do I." Stefan said softly and Damon smiled.

"Good, well, as sad as it sounds, I have to get to a staff meeting in twenty minutes." He smirked and they both chuckled. "Then I have another class this afternoon but if the two of you are free tonight, you should come home with me and we can catch up." He said.

"Can I come watch you teach? You look hot in those glasses." Caroline smirked and he chuckled.

"Does anatomy and physiology interest you?" Damon asked her teasingly and she laughed.

"Professor Salvatore teaching anatomy and physiology will interest me." She said and he chuckled.

"Fine, but you can't laugh or I'll lose focus." He said amused.

"I'll go get hotel rooms and stuff while you do that then." Stefan said and Damon shot him an amused look.

"You're my brother, Stefan. I'm not going to make you go stay in a hotel. You can both stay with me and Lilith." He said and both Caroline and Stefan looked at him curiously.

"Lilith?" Stefan asked and Damon chuckled.

"Mmhmm. My girl." He replied.

"You live with a girl?" Caroline asked him in disbelief and Damon smirked.

"Mmhmm." He nodded.

"What's she like?" Stefan asked surprised and Damon chuckled.

"Well, she takes up most of the bed, is totally clingy and she needs walked constantly." He smirked and they both laughed.

"Lilith is a dog?" Caroline asked with a chuckle and Damon just looked amused.

"That's a little harsh." Damon teased and she giggled while Stefan laughed at that. "Kidding. Yeah, she's a Bernese mountain dog." He said.

"So... wait just a minute. You are a teacher _and_ you have a dog." Stefan said to him and Damon smirked. Caroline found Stefan's look of pure disbelief highly amusing.

"Yes, Stefan." Damon said amused. He understood his brother's confusion. Five years ago he would _never_ have expected his life to turn out this way either.

"If I hadn't just seen you teaching, I don't think I'd believe it." Stefan said and Damon laughed.

"Well, believe it." Damon said amused. "I'm totally boring now." He said and Stefan chuckled.

"I want to meet this dog." Stefan said and Damon smirked.

"You can't eat her." Damon said and Stefan rolled his eyes while Caroline laughed loudly at that.

"Not why I want to meet her, Damon." Stefan said annoyed though internally he was kind of glad to see Damon was still _kind of_ the same.

"Well, I'll let my afternoon class go early so if you want to get me outside the main entrance at like 3.30pm then we can head over?" Damon asked his brother.

"Sure." Stefan agreed. "Actually... I think I'll watch the class too." He smirked and Damon chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but I'm serious, don't laugh. Today's class is important because it's on next week's test." Damon said.

"What classes do you teach?" Caroline asked curiously. She thought him being a college professor was really quite hot.

"First year life science, second year biomedical science and I run a fourth year elective lab group as part of the internship programme." He said.

"You really like it, don't you?" Stefan asked with a smile. He could see it the way Damon spoke about it.

"I do. It's great." Damon nodded.

* * *

><p>Damon really didn't know what to think of Stefan and Caroline's surprise arrival. He was really touched that they'd spent so much time looking for him but he was annoyed at himself for not leaving a contact number with Stefan. He didn't want them to go to all the trouble of looking for him. He was annoyed at himself that he'd made Stefan worry that he was dead.<p>

He went to his staff meeting, downed a blood bag in his office then collected his class planner and went back down to the lecture hall. He wasn't really looking forward to lecturing in front of Stefan and Caroline but he decided to just ignore their presence so he wouldn't laugh.

Damon structured all of his classes similarly unless there was a reason for it to be different. The first half of the class was a lecture and the second half was a question and answer interactive discussion with the students. It proved to be very effective because the students wanted to be able to answer the questions so they usually did the work. Damon wasn't too hard on them if they occasionally skipped the homework or reading but he was tough on them if he thought they were slacking or not bothering with their work.

"What do chondroblasts produce?" Damon asked then he chuckled when he saw Stefan's hand up. "You're not allowed to take part, Stefan." Damon said amused and all the students turned to look at Stefan and Caroline.

"Why not? I know the answer." Stefan replied with a smirk and Damon rolled his eyes.

"Just ignore him. Who _else_ knows the answer?" Damon asked and Stefan and Caroline chuckled. "Hailey?"

"Cartilage matrix." She replied.

"Good." Damon nodded.

"Damon? Why isn't he allowed to participate?" John asked curiously and Damon smirked.

"Because he's my annoying broody little brother who doesn't need to know this stuff but you all do." Damon replied and the class chuckled. Stefan and Caroline looked at each other amused considering how Damon described Stefan to the class. "What is the cell type responsible for maintaining bone matrix once it's formed?" Damon asked. "Derek?"

"Osteoblasts." He replied and Damon shook his head.

"Try again, dude." Damon replied.

"Uh... Osteocytes?" He asked.

"Correct. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation." Damon replied and Derek nodded then took down that note. "Two more questions then you can all go... let's see... What condition results in incorrect closure of the vertebral column?" He asked. "Lance?"

"Spina bifida." He replied.

"Good. Last one... What does the parathyroid hormone do?" Damon asked and only one person raised their hand. "Fine, but if you get it wrong, I'll be pissed." Damon said amused.

"It stimulates the breakdown of bone and the increase in blood calcium levels." Stefan said and Damon chuckled. Caroline giggled a little at Stefan taking part.

"Yes, Stefan. Did you all hear that?" He asked and they nodded. "Good. Off you go then." Damon smiled. Several students said bye to him, a couple asked him a few questions and about five minutes later he was ready to go so he pulled his jacket on and packed away his class planner into his work bag then walked up to the back of the hall to where Stefan and Caroline stood.

"You're a really good teacher, Damon." Stefan said sincerely and Damon smiled.

"Thanks, Stef." He replied.

"You actually managed to hold my attention for the whole time. I'm usually away in dream land after about two minutes." Caroline said and the boys chuckled.

"Some of your students are really hot." Stefan said and Damon and Caroline laughed.

"It's against University policy for me to agree with you." Damon replied with a smirk and they laughed. "Shall we?" He motioned for the door.

* * *

><p>Damon drove the three of them the short two miles to his house in the Old Town. He pulled up outside a nice house in a quiet area with not a lot of other houses but quite a lot of grassy areas and trees. There was actually a very large park across the street from Damon's house. They got out of the car and Damon led them up to the house. He unlocked the door and moments later an enormous black, white and tan dog jumped up on him and he chuckled and hugged her and scratched her back affectionately.<p>

"This is Lilith." He pointed to the dog who was trying to lick his face.

"She's gorgeous." Caroline smiled as she petted the beautiful big dog.

"She has a nice temperament too. I need to take her for a quick run around the block but the kitchen is through there and there's plenty of booze and blood in the fridge and in the cupboard underneath it if you want to help yourselves." He said and Stefan and Caroline nodded then Damon walked back out the front door and Lilith followed him. They noticed that Damon didn't take her on a leash but she obediently walked beside him anyway.

Stefan closed the door then he and Caroline went in the direction Damon had pointed in and they came into a nice rustic style kitchen. Caroline loved it. Caroline and Stefan decided on a bottle of red wine from the cupboard and Stefan grabbed three glasses then the two of them sat down in the living room.

"This house is amazing." Caroline commented.

"I just can't believe Damon's out walking a dog." Stefan said and she giggled.

"I think it's nice. He seems happier, Stef. That's what we both wanted for him all along." She commented.

"Yeah, I know. Think you'll want to stay a while?" He asked and she shrugged.

"All we've done is look for Damon for the last few years so there isn't really anywhere we have to be, Stef. You want contact with him as do I, so I don't see why not. This town looks great too. We can talk to him about it later." She said.

"Cool." Stefan smiled and she could tell that he was happy with what she said. She and Stefan were best friends now and she knew Stefan didn't want to go anywhere without her.

* * *

><p>Damon arrived back about fifteen minutes later and he poured a big bowl of water for Lilith then he joined the two of them. Stefan handed him a glass of red wine and he took it and had a nice long sip of it.<p>

"Have a nice walk?" Caroline asked and he shrugged.

"Yeah, it was fine. Sorry I took so long, I ran into my neighbour around the corner and he complains about everything so it can take a while to ditch him." Damon said and they chuckled. It was obvious that Damon wasn't compelling people then as he would normally have compelled his neighbours to leave him alone.

"It's fine. What else do you do here?" Stefan asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" Damon asked confused.

"Well, besides teaching at the college." Stefan said and Damon shrugged again.

"I have a vampire friend I sometimes hang out with and there are three guys I see a couple of times a week. Sometimes it's drinking or playing poker or going out. Just depends really." He replied.

"A vampire friend?" Stefan asked curiously and Damon nodded.

"Yeah, her name is Lisa and she has a bar in town. You know, you would probably like her, Stefan." Damon smirked.

"What's she like?" Stefan asked.

"Fun but still kind of sensible and laid back." He replied. "That's her." He pointed to a photo frame and both Caroline and Stefan looked at the picture only to see a photo of Damon and a beautiful strawberry blonde girl with grey hazel eyes and the two of them were sitting on a ski lift looking amused.

"Where was that?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Aspen." Damon replied. "It was the first time she dragged me skiing with her." He chuckled.

"She's really gorgeous." Stefan commented and Damon shrugged.

"I'll introduce you to her then." He replied surprising the two of them.

"You're not seeing her?" Stefan asked and Damon chuckled.

"No." He replied. "We're just friends." He said.

"Are there a lot of vampires here?" Caroline asked curiously.

"I've only come across Lisa since I got here and she doesn't know any others here either." He said. "Though she sometimes has vampire visitors." He added as an afterthought.

"Why do you wear glasses in the college?" Stefan asked curiously.

"They make me look older." Damon replied. "I'm trying to pass for 27 at the moment." He said.

"I think you suit them." Caroline smiled and Damon chuckled.

"Thanks. It was really weird at first but I got used to them." He replied. "So what have you been doing?" He asked.

"Travelling and looking for you." Stefan replied.

"Where's Elena?" Damon asked confused.

"We broke up about four months after you left." Stefan replied and Damon looked surprised.

"Fair enough." He said. "Why were you looking for me?" He asked.

"Because we didn't want you to go." Caroline replied and Damon looked surprised again.

"This time was good for me but I'm sorry that you had to look for me. I should have left a contact number." He said.

"Are you happy?" Caroline asked him and he seemed to think about it for a moment.

"For the most part, yes." He nodded.

"Well... can we stay?" Stefan asked and Damon looked surprised.

"Do you _want_ to stay here?" Damon asked sceptically.

"We want to stay where you are." Stefan replied and internally Damon was shocked at that.

"Of course you can stay." Damon replied. "There's one bedroom upstairs, one bedroom in the basement and three on this floor. Mine is upstairs and Lisa's is in the basement so you can pick whatever bedrooms you want from this floor." He commented.

"Lisa lives here?" Stefan asked surprised.

"No, but her house is like a half an hour drive from here because she wanted a house in the middle of nowhere beside a lake so if she's working late at the bar or just can't be bothered driving all the way home, she just stays here." He shrugged. "Or if I go somewhere for the weekend she sometimes stays here to watch Lilith." He added. "Do you keep in touch with anyone else?" He asked.

"We just started talking to Bonnie again but we still see and keep in touch with Ric regularly." Caroline said.

"What's he up to?" Damon asked curiously. He'd missed Alaric.

"He's in Rome." Stefan replied.

"Doing what?" Damon asked.

"Eating the locals." Caroline smirked and Damon's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"He turned?" He asked shocked and they both nodded.

"Yeah, just after you left actually. It was an accident. I fed him my blood to heal him one time he got hurt staking a vampire but the dumbass fell down the stairs and broke his neck the same day." Caroline rolled her eyes and Damon chuckled at her calling Ric a dumbass.

"That's one way to do it." Damon replied amused. Internally he was thrilled that Alaric was a vampire now. "Is he being good?" He smirked.

"Yeah, he's doing well." Stefan nodded. Just then Damon's phone rang. He looked at the screen then put it to his ear.

"Hey, Lis." He answered.

"_Hey, are you home yet?_" She asked.

"Yeah, why? What'd you forget?" Damon asked amused.

"_My damn storage room key._" She replied and he chuckled.

"I'll take it down." Stefan offered and Damon smirked at his brother for that.

"_Who was that?_" Lisa asked.

"Stefan." Damon replied. "He said he'll bring it down."

"_Tell him he's a doll and drinks are on me._" She said and he chuckled.

"He heard you. See you later." He said then hung up. "You don't mind?" Damon asked Stefan amused.

"No, she's really hot." Stefan said and Caroline and Damon laughed. Damon took off downstairs to her room and saw her keys sitting on her little table so he grabbed them then took them back upstairs. He gave them to Stefan and gave him directions on how to get to the bar then Stefan left and Damon and Caroline were finally alone...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The house & a picture of what Lisa looks like are on my profile :)**


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own The Vampire Diaries, I'm just a fan :)

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>"You're looking good, Caroline." He said to her as he sat back down beside her.<p>

"Thanks, so are you." She replied. Damon felt a little awkward for a moment.

"I'm sorry about how I left." He said to her sincerely.

"You didn't even give me a chance to say anything back." She said and he looked surprised.

"What _would_ you have said back?" He asked.

"That I love you too." She replied softly and he looked stunned.

"Is that why you looked for me? You wanted to tell me that?" He asked her hesitantly.

"Yeah." She said.

"Do you still feel that way?" He asked her though his heart was in his mouth.

"Did I stop looking?" She asked him and he smiled. "Do _you_ still feel that way?" She asked.

"I'm quite sure I will _always_ feel that way." He admitted.

"Don't you think you should hurry up and kiss me then?" She asked and he chuckled. He really wanted to... but...

"You have no idea how much I want that but I'm still not good enough for you." He said and she sighed.

"That's a heap of crap, Damon. Nobody deserves or doesn't deserve someone. If you love someone and are willing to try for them, that's all that matters." She said. He looked into her eyes again and he felt like no time had passed at all. He was still totally in love with her. He'd thought about her every day, all day since he left.

"Then yeah, I'm going to kiss you." He smirked then cupped her cheek and kissed her. Caroline smiled into the kiss and kissed him back eagerly. She'd been waiting for this for over four years and it was worth the wait. He didn't disappoint. But he was Damon. Of course he didn't disappoint. Damon pulled back to look at her. "So you're staying?" He asked her for confirmation.

"I'm staying." She smiled and he looked very happy with that.

"So do you want to go on a date with me?" He asked and she smirked.

"I look for you around the world and all I get is a date?" She teased and he chuckled.

"What would you like instead?" He asked amused.

"You're not all like celibate now that you're Mr College Professor are you?" She asked teasingly and he laughed.

"No, of course not." He replied. "But don't you want to do all of this properly?" He asked and she laughed.

"If you're talking about waiting, we've both been waiting for over four years for this. Do you really want to wait longer?" She asked him and he smirked. Before she could register the movement, she was pinned to a bed.

"You may have a point." He said and she smiled then pulled him down for a searing kiss.

* * *

><p>Caroline lay cuddled into his chest and she drew circles on his stomach with her fingertips. Damon had his arms around her and he agreed that waiting four years for <em>that<em> would never be happening again. Caroline looked up into his eyes and he smiled softly at her.

"I love you." She said and he smiled then kissed her.

"I love you." He replied and she felt her stomach flutter.

"So if we love each other and I'm staying, does that mean you want to be with me?" She asked and he smirked.

"Yes." He replied.

"When you left, you said you were going to find me, would you have if I didn't find you first?" She asked and he nodded.

"My plan was to finish teaching here then I was going to look for you." He said. "I just... wanted to be good for you. I wanted to be able to make your life better for a change." He added.

"You made my life better at the time too you know." She said surprising him. "Don't you remember how much time we spent together in those few months before you left?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I was still unstable then. I hadn't dealt with the fact that I was feeling again after so long." He explained.

"Have you dealt with that now?" She asked and he nodded. "How much longer will you be able to teach here?" She asked and he sighed.

"I'm going to finish this semester, do one more year after that then I'll probably have to go." He replied.

"But you'll teach again somewhere else after that, right?" She asked and he chuckled.

"Think I should?" He asked amused and she smiled at him deviously.

"Yeah, because the whole Professor Salvatore thing is a total turn on." She said and he laughed.

"Well you can pick the place next then." He smiled and she leaned up and kissed him.

"I quite like this little town so somewhere similar would be good." She said.

"Yeah, I like the college town aspect of it. It's what Mystic Falls would be if it had a college and wasn't a supernatural hotspot full of annoying founder's families." He smirked and she laughed.

"Tell me about Lisa." She said and he chuckled.

"You're jealous. That's cute." He said amused because her tone had indicated that.

"No, I'm not." She muttered and he laughed. _Yeah, she totally was_.

"I met Lisa when she moved here to be with a human who was going to the Graduate school. She was with him for the first year I knew her so we were already really good friends when they broke up. It's never been like that with us. She's not into sleeping around and I'm not interested in anything more with anyone but you and she knows that." He said while his fingertips brushed down her back. Internally she was fluttery at him saying that. "So we've always only been friends."

"You told her about me?" She asked and he nodded.

"I told her about everything. She's probably what you chicks would call my 'best friend'." He smirked and she giggled at him saying that. "I called her to tell her that you and Stefan turned up and she really wants to meet you both." He admitted.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Caroline asked and he chuckled.

"She will. She's very uncomplicated. She tells you what she thinks honestly and doesn't lie or manipulate. She can be quite blunt but not in like a mean way. I think you'll love her to be honest and she already likes you." He said. "But you have no reason to be jealous because I only want you." He smirked at her.

"I'm not jealous." She replied and he chuckled because she still sounded totally jealous.

"If anyone should be jealous it's _me_ considering you've spent the last four years with my brother." He teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but... God, even the thought of that is gross." She said with a grimace and he laughed loudly at that.

"Gross?" He asked her amused and she nodded.

"I love Stefan like... a brother, I guess. He's like my family or my vampire version of Bonnie. We're best friends but that's as far as that goes." She said and he smirked. Music to his ears. "Elena hates me because she thinks Stefan left her for me but she doesn't get that he left her because she's a total bitch and we've never been anything except friends." She said and Damon chuckled.

"Does Stefan see you the same way that you see him?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, I overheard him telling someone once that I was like the little sister he never had." She shrugged. "So much so..." She giggled. "We were at a frat party in New York last year and we were wasted and playing spin the bottle and he spun it and it landed on me and both of us made the same disgusted face at the same time and neither of us could do it so we ended up having to take the consequence which was streaking through the party." She said and Damon laughed at that.

"Why didn't you just compel them all so you didn't have to have a consequence?" He asked amused.

"We were like _wasted_ so we didn't think of that until the next day when he woke up in a dress and full face makeup and I woke up dressed as a pirate." She said and he laughed loudly at that.

"Sounds like you had some fun on your travels." He smiled and she nodded.

"Yeah, we did. Ric's going to be happy we found you." She said.

"I actually missed him." Damon admitted.

"He said once drunkenly that he thought if he ever turned it would be because you got a notion for an eternal drinking buddy and he thought it sucked that he was learning how to be a vampire from a bunny killer and an ex-cheerleader." She said amused and Damon laughed loudly.

"That's funny." He smiled. "How's your mother?" He asked and she shrugged.

"Fine. She's been out to visit me a couple of times and I've met her a few towns over from Mystic Falls a few times. We're keeping in touch regularly. She has a boyfriend now." Caroline said amused.

"Good. She always came across as someone who needed to get laid." Damon said and Caroline laughed.

"That's my mom, Damon. _So_ don't want to hear that." She said and he chuckled. "So what is there to do here?" She asked.

"It's a college town so there isn't much aside from stuff to do with the college." He said.

"Maybe Stefan and I should enrol then." She said. "Might be kind of hot to be sleeping with one of the Professors." She said and he chuckled.

"If you went to the college, I'd have to see you in private." He said and she looked surprised. "Teachers can't date students even if they're in a different department." He explained. "But Lisa is looking for a bar manager if you want to do that instead." He suggested.

"Could I even _be_ a bar manager?" She asked sceptically and he laughed.

"Didn't you practically run Mystic Falls?" He asked her and she giggled. "I don't think a bar would be difficult for you." He smirked. "Her bar is quite cool actually. It's not like a frat bar so it's a nice place to drink in. But I could always go talk to the Dean and just say that you're like... I don't know... my college girlfriend and we're back together and you want to take a few classes or something. We might get away with it then." He said.

"Couldn't you just compel them?" She asked curiously and he sighed.

"I'm trying not to compel when possible. Obviously I compelled my way into the job because my Biology degree is from the eighties and I don't actually have a teaching qualification but otherwise I'm trying not to control everyone." He said.

"Then why don't you talk to the Dean tomorrow and you can tell me what he says. If it doesn't bother him then I'll enrol, if it does then I'll find something else to do." She said and he nodded.

"What would you take classes in?" He asked.

"What arts programmes do they have?" She asked.

"Art, Music, Theatre and Dance." He replied.

"Probably theatre. Maybe some kind of stage management or costume design classes." She said. "I did all of that throughout High School so I doubt it'll be hard." She added.

"Would you rather work in that department than study?" He asked curiously.

"Why?" She asked.

"As far as I know, there are three productions in the works at the moment and two of them need a stage manager." He replied.

"I've done that before in school so that would be amazing." She smiled.

"Besides, it's already a month into the second semester so that might be better than starting a class a month late." He said.

"And what's their policy on colleagues dating?" She asked and he shrugged.

"Not to flaunt it on campus but nobody really cares about that one too much." He said.

"Then yeah, I'd love to do that. How do I get the job then?" She asked.

"I'll fix that for you tomorrow." He winked at her and she smiled.

"Are they all going to hate me for being with you?" She teased and he chuckled.

"No. Why would they?" He asked.

"Well, the receptionist in the records office proudly told us that Professor Salvatore was one of the most popular professors on campus." She said amused and he laughed.

"Silvia. She's a sweetie." He chuckled.

"Have you been feeding here?" She asked.

"Just blood bags usually. If I feel like fresh feeding I go out of town." He explained. He looked over the bedside clock and he was surprised to see it was almost 6pm. "You're going to think I'm totally sad now but I really need to take Lilith to the park." He said and she giggled.

"Why's that?" She asked amused.

"Because I usually always take her as soon as I come home from work. She's been sitting crying at the front door for the last couple of minutes. She doesn't understand that whole 'I have a hot naked blonde in my bed' thing." He smirked and Caroline laughed.

"Can I come?" She asked and he nodded.

"Of course. It's just the park across the street but she's a big dog so she needs exercise and that quick walk we took around the block did not amuse her." He said with a chuckle and Caroline giggled. "She loves going up to Lisa's house because of the lake and she refuses to come out of the lake practically the entire time we're there." He smirked and Caroline chuckled.

"How old is Lilith?" Caroline asked.

"She's three." Damon replied. "I got her about six months after I moved here." He said.

"What made you get a dog?" She asked.

"One of my students had her and after like a week she figured out that she was allergic to her so I offered to take her just until they found someone to take her permanently and after like two days I just decided to keep her." He shrugged. "She's extremely hard to say no to." He smirked and Caroline laughed.

"I love the fact you have a dog." She said.

"Then get dressed and let's go." He winked at her and she chuckled.

"Is that like the only time you've ever told a girl to get dressed?" She asked amused as she sat up and he laughed.

"It might be, actually." He smirked and she laughed.

* * *

><p>They both got dressed then went downstairs and Lilith's tail wagged and she got all excited when she saw Damon holding up her ball. Caroline smiled at that then the two of them left the house with Lilith happily walking beside Damon. They walked across the street to the park then Damon tossed her ball like a hundred yards away and she bolted after it.<p>

"Probably helps her a lot that you can throw so far." Caroline teased and he chuckled.

"Sometimes I come out during the night with her and I race her to it." He said amused. "Can't risk that when it's still light out though." He added.

"Tell me about your other friends." She said.

"Luke is one of the Chemistry professors and he's 28 and a total nerd but he's funny as hell with a few drinks in him. Rob is a graduate student who is totally loaded so he just goes to college. He's 26 and this is the third time he's been to college already. Luke and I met him in Lisa's bar one night because he's a little older than the other students so he wasn't into the whole college party scene. Rob kind of acts like a stoner but he doesn't actually take drugs." He chuckled. "Then there's Will. Will is 24 and a recently qualified vet. He's really intelligent but a little slow on the uptake so he's an easy target for mockery." Damon explained amused.

"Do they know that you're a vampire?" Caroline asked curiously.

"No, but I'll tell them eventually. They're good guys." He said.

"What do you do when you hang out with them?" She asked.

"Every Tuesday night we play poker and Friday is usually drinking and party night. We usually head down to Denver for the night so we can all get totally wasted. There's nothing worse than being wasted and being caught by your students drunk off your ass." Damon chuckled and Caroline laughed.

"It's good that you have a vet friend because of Lilith, don't you think?" She asked and he nodded.

"He sometimes watches her if Lisa and I go on vacation or away for a weekend." He agreed.

"How old is Lisa?" Caroline asked curiously.

"She was 22 when she turned in 1966 so she's 70 this year." He replied.

"Is she also friends with your other friends?" She asked.

"Mmhmm. She used to date Luke actually. They went out for like six months or something." He said.

"And it didn't bother him that you two are such good friends?" She asked.

"No, he knows it's not like that with us. I don't even see her as a chick." He chuckled. "We've been friends for like three years and nothing has ever happened between us." He said because she still sounded kind of jealous and he really felt that she didn't need to be as Lisa was only his friend. "Apparently Stefan's drunk already and he's talking her ear off." Damon said amused.

"She told you that?" Caroline asked surprised.

"Yeah, she text me. She likes him already. She hates it when guys just sit there and don't talk." He chuckled.

"He is a chatty drunk." Caroline agreed. "I'm usually the opposite." A few moments later, Lilith came back with the ball and surprised both of them by putting the ball in front of Caroline. Damon chuckled at that.

"She wants you to throw it for her. That means she likes you." He said amused and Caroline smiled then bent down and picked up her ball and threw it for her. "By the way, I'm supposed to be 27 according to the college so if we're going with the college girlfriend story, you can't really be any younger than like 24." He said and she shrugged.

"That's fine. That's only a year older than my actual age. I'll have to dress the part if I'm going to be a stage manager anyway. I can make myself look a little older." She said.

"Are you sure you want this, Caroline?" He asked her softly.

"Want what?" She asked confused.

"After travelling the world and having fun and seeing what's out there... do you really want to settle in a small college town, be with a college teacher and work as a stage manager?" He asked sceptically and she smiled.

"The travelling was fun, Damon, and I'm sure at some point in the future I'll want to travel again, but I don't actually enjoy travelling _constantly_. It was fun for like the first year but after that I didn't really like it. I wanted to settle down somewhere so this _is_ what I want. Stefan just wants to be around you and me so he doesn't really care about the details. But I actually really like that you have a job and friends and a dog. You're making yourself happy. You're _living_ instead of just existing. That's what you and I used to sometimes talk about, remember?" She asked and he nodded. "So yes, I want to settle in a small college town, be with a college teacher and work as a stage manager." She smiled as did he. He took her hand and puller her closer then wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. As much as I love my job, I would have left it for you." He said and she looked stunned.

"You would?" She asked surprised and he smirked.

"Now that I have you, I'm not letting you go." He said and she smiled then kissed him.

"Good." She said and her stomach fluttered again.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own The Vampire Diaries, if I did, Damon would still be using fog and crows instead of being an Elena doormat.

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>Stefan had called Ric to tell him that Damon was in Colorado so he was getting a flight over and would be arriving in Boulder the next morning. Stefan hadn't told Caroline or Damon that Ric was coming because Stefan needed Ric to see Professor Salvatore in action. Stefan found that highly amusing and knew Ric would too.<p>

Stefan spent most of the evening in the bar with Lisa and he really liked her. The two of them clicked immediately and after a few drinks, Stefan asked her out. She accepted. He was quite pleased with himself and a couple of hours later he was nice and drunk then decided to go back to Damon's house before he made an idiot of himself in front of Lisa. He sped back to Damon's house and let himself in without knocking considering, it was his brother's house and he was _never_ going to knock. He walked in and found Caroline sitting on the couch with Lilith draped over her lap and Damon was in the kitchen heating them up a blood bag each.

"Hey." Caroline grinned at Stefan as she scratched Lilith's back.

"Hey." Stefan grinned back. "The dog seems to like you." He commented amused considering Caroline was being flattened by her.

"I like her too. She's so sweet, Stef." Caroline smiled at her fondly. "How did things go meeting Lisa? You've been gone for hours." She commented.

"She's really cool." Stefan smiled. "I asked her out." He smirked and Damon laughed.

"You did?" He asked amused as he came out of the kitchen with two glasses of blood.

"I did. That's cool, right?" Stefan asked him and Damon chuckled.

"Yeah, but she's my friend so treat her well or I'll have to kick your ass." Damon said as he retook his seat next to Caroline then handed her a glass.

"Damon, she seems the type that if I didn't treat her well, she'd be more than happy to kick my ass herself." Stefan said and Damon laughed.

"True." He said amused. "So did she say yes?" He asked as he took a sip.

"Yeah, she's free on Saturday night apparently so we're going out then." Stefan said.

"Cool. That reminds me. Tuesday night is poker night and it's my turn to host this Tuesday." Damon said. "We'll have to set up two tables if you two are going to play too." Damon said absently. Stefan wandered into the kitchen and came back out with a blood bag and Damon cocked an eyebrow at that. "That's human, Stefan." He said and Stefan shrugged.

"I don't drink animal blood anymore." He replied and Damon's jaw dropped.

"What?" He asked in disbelief.

"Caroline helped me get control and talked me out of drinking animal blood." Stefan replied. Damon scowled at his brother then.

"So, I try to get you to drink human blood for decades but Caroline manages to just talk you into it?" Damon asked in disbelief and both of them chuckled.

"Yeah, but you just wanted to go hunting together. You didn't care if I actually had control at the time." Stefan pointed out and Damon sighed.

"Fine, you may have a point." He muttered. "But that's good that you stopped with the bunny blood." He said as Stefan sat down on the other couch.

"Are you sure you don't mind that I asked Lisa out?" Stefan asked Damon who smirked.

"I have my Blondie back. I couldn't care less who Lisa dates." Damon said as he kissed Caroline's cheek and she smiled widely while Stefan just looked amused.

"So my not so subtle 'leaving you two alone' plan worked then?" Stefan asked amused and they both laughed.

"She had me in bed about two minutes after you left." Damon smirked and Caroline blushed while Stefan laughed.

"Yeah, she said that was the plan." Stefan teased Caroline and Damon laughed at that while Caroline just looked embarrassed.

"Is that so?" Damon asked her teasingly and she shrugged.

"Girls have needs too, you know." She quipped and they both laughed.

"Did you make any decisions about what's happening?" Stefan asked Caroline.

"Yeah, Damon's going to get me a job at the university because he's not allowed to date students." Caroline said and Stefan looked surprised.

"Job doing what?" Stefan asked.

"Stage production manager." Caroline replied and Stefan chuckled.

"Those poor drama students." Stefan teased and Damon laughed while Caroline shot him a glare.

"I miss bunny diet Stefan. He was nice." Caroline muttered and the boys chuckled.

"What do you want to do, Stef?" Damon asked.

"Lisa said I can help out at the bar if I want to." Stefan shrugged. "I'm not really in the mood to go to college again yet." He said.

"Bad idea." Damon said and Stefan looked surprised as did Caroline.

"Why?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Lisa has basically had bars since she turned. She will drive you nuts if you work there unless you take the bar manager job because then you won't be working when she's working. But if you want to just be like a bartender she will drive you nuts. I did that last summer and I quit after a week because I wanted to stake her." Damon said and they looked at him amused. "She's great away from work, she's great when she's working and you _don't_ work there but she's got a system of how things should be and you would end up hating her. So if you like her and want to date her, _don't_ work there." Damon shuddered and they laughed.

"Okay. By the way, are you going to give us a tour of the house?" Stefan asked curiously and Damon shrugged.

"There's a games room downstairs next door to Lisa's room, this floor has my office down that hall and the bedrooms and that's it really." Damon shrugged.

"Ooh, can I look in your office?" Caroline asked curiously and Damon chuckled.

"If you want." He smirked. Caroline manoeuvred herself off the couch without making it uncomfortable for Lilith then she wandered down the hall to his office. She walked in and it was a fairly plain office but there was a nice big desk with a laptop so she sat down and her jaw fell open when she saw two picture frames on his desk... with pictures of her in them. He had pictures up in the living room of him and Lisa, one of him and Stefan when they were kids and even one of Lilith, but none of her... Except now she found two in his office. One of them was in black and white and it was the first picture he'd ever taken of her. They'd been sitting drinking and she was wearing an oversized sweater and shorts and she happened to sit in a particular way and he just suddenly took a picture of her with his phone. She looked like she was posing... but she hadn't been. The other was one night they went to a club and she had her hair partially up, a black dress on and red lipstick and she was smiling in the photo. Damon hurried into the room then and she saw on his face that he'd obviously _just_ remembered and that's why he'd hurried down. "I... guess you're wondering about the pictures." He said and she nodded.

"Why are they in here and not with the others in the living room?" She asked curiously and he sighed.

"Because do you know how weird people think you are when you have a picture framed of a girl you love but aren't with?" He said to her and she chuckled. "But I missed you and... when I would be having a crappy day and had to spend hours writing up a curriculum and I was at the point I was just going to say 'screw it'... I'd look up and see you and I'd feel like I could do it." He admitted softly and her heart twisted at that. "I'm sorry if it's weird." He said awkwardly and she shook her head then got her phone out of her pocket and showed him the screensaver. It was a picture she'd taken of him years ago on a different phone that she'd transferred over. He smirked at that.

"You kept me going at times too, you know." She said softly and sincerely and he smiled then leaned over and kissed her.

* * *

><p>The following morning Damon got up early and got dressed, made himself coffee, took Lilith out then he kissed Caroline goodbye and he walked to work. Damon had a passing happy thought that he could really get used to the Caroline addition to his morning. Stefan was borrowing Damon's car for the day. Caroline's plan was to go shopping for appropriate work clothes while Stefan went to Boulder. Obviously, neither Caroline or Damon knew why he was doing that but he just said he felt like going there for the day and Damon didn't have time to question him. When Damon got to the University, he went straight to the Dean's office and he compelled Caroline the job and she was to come in and choose which production she wanted to do or see if she could do both the following day as it was Friday. He hurried off to his first class after that.<p>

Stefan drove to Boulder and picked Alaric up at the airport.

"Where's Damon?" Alaric asked confused when he got to Stefan in the arrivals lounge. Stefan just chuckled.

"You wouldn't _believe_ me if I told you." Stefan said amused. "You're going to have to see it for yourself." He chuckled.

"Just tell me, Stef." Ric said and Stefan laughed.

"He's busy teaching university level biology." Stefan said amused and Ric's jaw dropped.

"No way." He said in disbelief and Stefan chuckled.

"I saw him teaching two classes yesterday. He's actually surprisingly amazing at it." Stefan admitted.

"Damon Salvatore is a biology professor." Ric deadpanned and Stefan laughed.

"Yup." Stefan nodded.

"This I have to see." Ric said and Stefan chuckled.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me if I told you." Stefan said amused. "But we need to sneak in the back and you can't laugh. He'll get seriously pissed if you disrupt the class." Stefan warned amused.

"Stefan. Show me. I'm serious." Ric said and Stefan laughed.

"Let's go then." He chuckled.

* * *

><p>Stefan explained to Ric that Damon wore glasses to look older so he couldn't laugh at that either. He just had to stay quiet. Ric promised though he found the glasses thing hilarious. They made it back to the University in time to catch the end of Damon's afternoon class. Ric's jaw dropped at the sight of Damon wandering around chatting away to the students at the bottom of the class.<p>

"Okay, next question. Nerves that innervate organs in the ventral body cavities are the..." Damon asked. "I see we aren't hung over today, Matilda." He smirked and everyone laughed. Matilda was his second year star student and she'd missed the class the day before.

"Ha ha, Damon. The autonomic nerves." She replied and Damon chuckled.

"That is correct, my little star." He replied amused and she rolled her eyes at him but couldn't help a little smile. "Function of myelin... Daniel?"

"The function of the myelin sheath is to increase the speed of response along the axon." Daniel replied and Damon nodded.

"Yes, that is correct, but can you use 'signal' instead of 'response' in future, please?" Damon asked and everyone wrote that down. Ric was shocked at how the students interacted with Damon, how they listened to him, they all paid attention and he obviously made it interesting for them considering they all seemed to take notes and nobody looked like they were dozing off. Ric was surprised at how much the students seemed to take in what they were learning as Damon had asked tons of questions and he never asked the same person twice unless nobody else raised their hand. "Axon hillock. Why's that important?" He asked. "Sandy?"

"The axon hillock is the site where the signal first triggers." She replied.

"You get a gold star. I'm serious. Sandy obviously read the appendices. Who else read them?" Damon asked and there was a small show of hands. "For those of you who haven't... look, I know they're a pain in the ass but they have information that might be useful for you to look over and take some notes from." Somebody raised their hand. "What's up, Heather?"

"When's the cadaver lab?" She asked and Damon chuckled.

"You college kids really don't read the handouts, do you?" He asked and they laughed. Stefan was really amused by him saying that after the day before. "It's the week after next. Why?" He asked her.

"Do we... uh... _have_ to do that?" She asked him and he chuckled.

"You do realise that you're a biomedical science degree student, right?" Damon smirked.

"Yeah, so?" She asked sceptically.

"Well, biomedical scientists tend to deal with dead bodies." He said to her and she sighed.

"Yeah... but I kind of figured I'd be used to it by then." She replied and he smirked.

"And how, my dear, are you going to get used to it if you _don't_ do the cadaver lab?" He asked her and they laughed.

"Fine, I guess you have a point." She said and he smirked.

"Don't worry about it. I'll go through everything about the lab with all of you before we actually go there. You'll be totally prepared before you actually see the cadaver." He promised her sincerely.

"Will it smell?" She asked him and he laughed.

"Heather, I swear, we're going to spend an entire class going over the lab before it happens. But yeah, it'll smell a little but if you dab a tiny bit of perfume or something scented over your top lip before you put the mask on that's all you'll smell, I promise." He said. "But, make sure it's not like your everyday perfume because I swear every time you smell that smell afterwards it'll just make you think of cadavers." He teased and they laughed. "Any other questions?" He asked and a bunch of people raised their hands. "About today's class and not about dead bodies?" He asked and they all put their hands down and he chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Just get out of here. And read the hand out." He said and they chuckled and packed away their books while Damon did the same with his lesson planner. The students said bye to him then he started to walk out when he noticed Stefan and Ric and he chuckled and took off his glasses and put them in his pocket. "Alaric Saltzman. I should have known Stefan would sneak you in." He said amused as he got there and Ric chuckled. Damon now understood why Stefan went to Boulder.

"It's because I didn't believe him when he told me." Ric said amused and Damon laughed. "I'm kind of shocked to be honest. You're actually a really good teacher." He said and Damon smiled.

"Thanks, Ric. How are you doing? I heard you joined our ranks." He smirked and Ric chuckled.

"Yeah, but it was an accident. I'm good though. I actually really like it." He said and Damon chuckled.

"It has it's perks. It's good to see you." Damon said sincerely and Ric was surprised that Damon would say something like that even if Stefan did fill him in on nicer Damon.

"You too, Professor Salvatore." Ric teased and Damon chuckled.

"Where's Barbie?" Damon asked.

"Shopping for work clothes, apparently." Stefan replied and Damon nodded.

"Do you like teaching?" Ric asked curiously.

"I love it actually." Damon nodded.

"Why science?" Ric asked.

"I've always been a bit of a science nerd. I'd find teaching too repetitive if I wasn't so interested in the subject matter." Damon admitted. "You still like whiskey, right?" Damon smirked and Ric laughed.

"Turning only made me like it more." Ric said amused and Damon chuckled.

* * *

><p>The three of them went back to the house and Damon was surprised that Lilith wasn't in the house so he wandered across to the park only to find Caroline throwing her ball for her. Damon felt kind of warm and fuzzy at that considering he totally loved Lilith. Damon snuck up behind her and covered her eyes which made her jump and he chuckled.<p>

"Hey." She said as she turned around and kissed him. "Is it okay that I took her here?" Caroline asked and he smiled.

"Of course." He nodded. "You'll be her favourite person now since she loves the park." He said amused. Lilith noticed Damon from where she'd been collecting the ball and she ran full speed towards him. "I swear if I was human I'd go flying when she does this." He chuckled and Caroline giggled then Lilith reached him and jumped up on him and he laughed and scratched her behind the ears. "You being good for Caroline?" Damon asked while she tried to lick his face.

"She's really well trained." Caroline commented.

"Compulsion is indeed the best training out there." Damon smirked and she looked surprised.

"I didn't know vampires could compel animals." She said.

"Mmhmm. I just don't like leashes and stuff but I was worried she'd run out in the street and get hit by a car or something so I compelled her training instead of taking the risk." He said and she nodded. "Did you know that Ric was coming?" He asked and she looked surprised.

"He's coming here?" Caroline asked.

"He's in the house at the moment." Damon smirked and Caroline looked surprised again.

"No, I didn't. I take it Stefan snuck the dumbass in to watch you teach?" She asked amused and Damon chuckled at her calling him a dumbass again.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"It's really hot, you know." She winked and he smirked.

"Is that so, Miss Forbes?" He asked amused.

"Mmhmm. Do you have an office on campus?" She asked seductively and he laughed.

"Yes, why?" He asked though he had a feeling.

"You already know why." She giggled and he cocked an eyebrow at that.

"I'm usually in my office between twelve and one every day." He said and she laughed at his eagerness.

"I'll remember that, Professor." She said then kissed his cheek and he chuckled.

"Excellent." He smirked and she giggled.

* * *

><p>They spent a short while in the park as it turned out Caroline had already been there for over half an hour with Lilith when Damon showed up then they walked back to the house hand in hand. Caroline thought it was nice. The thought of life being like this was nice. Damon didn't work long hours so it would leave them time for each other. They went in and found Stefan and Ric with glasses of blood on the couch. Lilith went over to Stefan and he petted her then went up to Alaric and he did the same.<p>

"Hey, Bitch." Ric smirked at Caroline.

"How's it going, Dumbass?" Caroline smirked back at Ric who chuckled. Damon found their greetings to each other quite funny even if they were surprising.

"You're just gorgeous." Ric said to Lilith as he scratched her ears. "I had a Bernie when I was a teenager." He said.

"It's just really sad that they don't live very long." Damon replied as he took a seat. "She's great though." He said. "By the way, the Dean wants you to come in tomorrow morning to look over the production schedules and pick one or both." Damon said to Caroline.

"What productions are they?" She asked.

"One is 'Rent' and the other is 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'." He replied and Caroline bit her lip.

"I _love_ both of them." She said. "But yeah, I'll go in. Can you come with me?" She asked and he nodded. She turned to Ric then. "Have you been a good little baby vamp since I last saw you?" She teased and Damon and Stefan laughed at little at that while Ric rolled his eyes.

"You've only been a vampire for just under two years longer than me." He pointed out and she smirked.

"I'm still your sire, dumbass." She said and Damon and Stefan laughed loudly at that while Ric shot her an annoyed look.

"God help me. Miss Spirit Fingers as my sire forever." He rolled his eyes which only made Stefan and Damon laugh again.

"No worse than me having a total dumbass as my first vampire." Caroline said teasingly and Stefan and Damon were full on shaking with laughter.

"What the hell happened to you two?" Damon asked as he laughed.

"Caroline refused to let me train Ric when he turned because apparently I'm a 'poor excuse for a vampire and Ric would be totally useless and emo by the time I got done with him'." Stefan said amused with air quotations and everything and Damon laughed loudly. He could so see Caroline saying something like that.

"You can't really blame me, sweetie, you are totally emo." Caroline winked at him and he rolled his eyes while Damon kept laughing.

"So instead, I got stuck with little Miss Cheerleader waking me up at all hours to make me learn fresh feeding and extending my senses and fighting and oh dear God, she's so _annoying_." Ric said rolling his eyes and Damon and Stefan laughed loudly.

"I might be annoying, dumbass, but I had you fresh feeding by yourself without a problem after only a month." She pointed out and Damon looked surprised.

"Impressive." Damon winked at her and Ric rolled his eyes.

"Was it really necessary at 4am though?" Ric asked her annoyed and she shrugged.

"It was roughly the only damn time you were sober enough to learn anything." She said dryly and the three guys laughed.

"You kill anyone?" Damon asked curiously and Ric deadpanned.

"No, are you joking? If I took like a mouthful too much my annoying little sire used to kick my ass." Ric said and Damon buckled over with laughter.

"This is fucking hilarious." Damon laughed.

"That was _one time_." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"No it wasn't." Ric and Stefan said simultaneously and Damon laughed.

"You're just a whiney little bitch, dumbass." Caroline said dryly and Damon had to hold his stomach from laughing so hard.

"You were kind of hard on him." Stefan agreed and Damon laughed.

"Hold up. _Stefan _thinks you were too hard on him? That's hilarious." Damon said amused.

"You've been a vampire for four years and you've never killed anyone. You can fight and incapacitate vampires much older than you, you know how to utilize your senses in the best way and you can feed with absolutely no problems. I was tough on you because I didn't want you to have to live with the guilt of killing someone and it worked. You _have _no guilt for that. I was tough on you so you would survive being a vampire and you have so far. So what the fuck is the problem?" Caroline asked annoyed.

"I like this side to you." Damon smirked at her and she winked at him.

"Yeah, yeah, you may have a point. You're still annoying." Ric rolled his eyes and they laughed.

"Better that than you die because you haven't got a clue." Caroline pointed out.

"Whatever you say, Spirit Fingers." Ric winked at her and she smirked.

"Shut up or I'll stake you, dumbass." She said and Damon and Stefan laughed.

"Like you could." Ric teased and she cocked an eyebrow at that.

"You want to go, _child_?" She asked him and Stefan and Damon were shaking with laughter.

"Sure, _mom_." Ric said and Damon and Stefan were nearly falling over themselves with laughter at him calling her that.

"I can't wait to see this." Damon said amused...


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: Only one chapter left after this one :)

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>The four of them went out to Damon's empty storage shed in the back garden because it was a big open space where the neighbours wouldn't see it.<p>

"Don't go easy on me." Ric said to her amused and she scoffed.

"Like I'd ever go easy on you." She replied with a smirk. Damon and Stefan were highly amused by this. Damon was really turned on by this kick ass side to her. They stood lounging against the wall next to each other so they could watch. "Go ahead." She waved him forward and he smirked. In a blur he flew at her and one back hander from Caroline had him flying across the shed and he hit off the wall and landed on the floor with a thud. "What the hell was that, wimp?" Caroline teased and Stefan and Damon were shaking with laughter at that. Alaric jumped to his feet and sped back over to her while Caroline just watched amused. He grabbed her arm and spun her around so her back was to him but before he could do anything else she just threw her head back and headered him in the face, elbowed his stomach then spun around with a roundhouse kick and he went flying back into the wall and landed back on the floor with a thud. "You're not even trying now, dumbass." She said amused.

"God, you're hot." Damon said because he was so turned on by her and Stefan laughed. Ric got back to his feet and he looked at her annoyed.

"Did you have to header that hard?" He asked rubbing his nose and they laughed.

"You said not to go easy on you, _child_." Caroline teased and he shot her an annoyed look while the brothers laughed. Ric sped back over to her and just as he got to her he crouched and kicked out her legs and she landed on her back then Ric held her down by the throat but she swung her knees up which made him fly up in the air and she jumped to her feet then by the time he landed she put one foot on the back of his neck and held him there. "You'll never beat me, baby vamp." She teased and Stefan and Damon laughed.

"You're amazing for your age." Damon said truthfully.

"She is." Stefan agreed.

"I want to see her kick _your_ ass." Damon said to Stefan amused.

"All those years of rabbit blood will make that no problem." Caroline smirked and Ric and Damon laughed.

"You're awfully cocky, you know. I have over a century on you." Stefan teased.

"Bring it on, bunny boy." Caroline smirked and Damon and Ric laughed. Ric was up on his feet again. Stefan walked over to her then and in a flash tried to grab her but she ducked under his arm then when she was behind him she kicked him in the ass and he went flying into the wall while Ric and Damon laughed.

"Fine, I won't go easy on you." Stefan said when he turned around.

"You could give it your all and I'd still beat you, Salvatore." Caroline smirked and they laughed. Stefan sauntered over to her and stood about a metre away from her.

"I don't think so." He smirked and she smiled at him deviously. Before he could register, she did a cartwheel and kicked him in the face while she was upside down then jumped to her feet just as Stefan landed on his back. "Oww." Stefan complained as he touched his face and Ric and Damon laughed loudly.

"You're not even trying, Stefan. This is pathetic. Stop being a cave man about me being a girl." Caroline said because she knew that was what it was about.

"Fine." Stefan said then jumped to his feet.

"Stefan, if you're worried to hit her because she's Caroline, just picture someone you can't stand instead and it'll work." Ric said.

"Doesn't work for _you_." Caroline teased and Damon and Stefan laughed loudly while Ric scowled at her. Stefan rushed her then pinned her face first to the wall. Caroline threw her elbow back and elbowed his head which moved him off her then she spun round and kicked him in the chest as hard as she could and he went flying across the room and hit off the wall and landed in a heap.

"Very nicely done." Damon grinned at her. Stefan got to his feet and gave her a sceptical look.

"I thought you loved me." Stefan said with a pout rubbing his hand over his chest and Damon and Ric laughed.

"I do love you." Caroline smiled.

"Then do you have to hit quite _so hard_?" Stefan complained and she giggled.

"Like you said, you have over a century on me. If I want to survive, I can't practice by doing little light hits." She pointed out.

"You know she finds random vampires just to kick the shit out of them." Stefan said to Damon still rubbing a hand over his chest because that had _seriously _hurt. Damon cocked an eyebrow at that.

"That's not very safe." He pointed out.

"Well, I kill them when I'm finished practicing so it's not like they'll come after me." Caroline shrugged and Damon looked surprised.

"Secret little vampire hunter." Damon smirked though internally he didn't like that one bit. He thought she was too young to be doing that, especially alone.

"It's only asshole vampires I go after, not like, nice ones." She said and they laughed a little.

"Damon, your turn." Ric nudged him and Damon chuckled.

"I'm not fighting Barbie." He smirked.

"Why not?" Stefan asked amused.

"She's already kicked my ass." Damon pointed out.

"Yeah, but you and I both know you didn't even try and you let me kick your ass." Caroline said.

"That's because I won't hit you." Damon shrugged.

"You scared, Damon?" Ric teased and he smirked.

"I'm not scared of anything." Damon replied.

"Come on then." Caroline said amused.

"Fine." Damon smirked then sauntered over to her. Ric and Stefan watched curiously. Although Damon really liked how kick ass she was, he wanted to take her cockiness down a peg because she was amazing but _not _invincible and he wanted her to know that she had to be careful. "Come on then, Barbie doll." He teased. Caroline rushed him and he stepped out of the way at the last second then pushed her shoulder and she went flying into the wall. She spun around with a grin at finally having a challenge. He just cocked an eyebrow at her. He'd been in thousands of fights over the years so there wasn't much she could throw at him that he wouldn't know how to block or avoid. He wasn't going to hit her but he could easily make it so that none of her hits even touched him just to prove a point. She moved forward to him then in a flash she spun around and round house kicked him. Inches from his face he grabbed her ankle then held her upside down dangling in the air by one leg and he chuckled. Stefan and Ric were surprised at how easily he did that but they laughed a little at Caroline dangling upside down in the air. "How you getting out of this one?" Damon asked her amused.

"Put me down!" She said horrified and he laughed a little.

"What if one of the vampires you fight did this to you? How would you get out of it?" Damon asked her and she thought about it. Stefan and Ric then clicked that he was trying to teach her a lesson and they shot each other amused looks.

"I don't know! Put me down!" She said annoyed and he laughed a little.

"Fine, put your arms out, I'm not dropping you on your head." He said amused and she did then he let her go and she sprung up to her feet.

"You're a tough one." Caroline smirked at him and he chuckled.

"You haven't gotten a single hit in. So try harder." He said to her and she shot him an annoyed look. In a flash she pinned him to the wall by the throat then before she could do anything else he flipped their positions only she was face first and he had her arms crossed behind her back. She tried kicking out of it but she couldn't reach his legs because of the way he was standing.

"You're trying to teach me a lesson, aren't you?" She asked uncomfortably as her cheek was pressed against the wall.

"I just want you to be careful. Not every vampire you encounter is going to be a baby vampire." Damon said to her and she sighed.

"I get the point." She rolled her eyes and he let her go. She spun around and jumped on him so he landed on his back but he hardly hit the ground before he flipped their positions and had both her arms pinned above her head with one hand and one of his legs held down her legs while his other hand pinned her by the throat. "How the hell did you do that?" She asked shocked and he smirked at her.

"Always expect _anything_." He said to her. Ric and Stefan were watching fascinated as Caroline _had _totally kicked their asses but she hadn't managed to do _anything _to Damon. Caroline realised then that he'd _allowed _her to kick his ass before considering she obviously couldn't if he didn't let her. "How about you make me a little deal?" He asked her.

"What deal?" She asked.

"No more hunting vampires until you can properly kick _my_ ass." He said to her seriously.

"But that's how I train." She said annoyed.

"Train with me then." He said to her and she grinned.

"You have yourself a deal." She said and he chuckled then let her go. He jumped to his feet then held out his hand and she took it and he pulled her to her feet.

"Hey, what about me?" Ric asked with a bit of a whine.

"Ask your sire." Damon teased and Ric scowled at him while Stefan and Caroline laughed.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later the four of them were sitting on the couches having a drink. Damon was next to Caroline and he had his arm around her. The front door opened and Lilith ran to the door and they heard...<p>

"Hey, Lily-bear!"

Caroline hated her already.

* * *

><p>Five months had passed since Caroline and Stefan showed up. Ric ended up just staying too since he hadn't been doing anything of interest. Stefan was officially together with Lisa and had been since their third date. Caroline got heavily invested in both productions and she tried to busy herself with it constantly. Damon noticed that something was going on with her but every time he asked, she said she was just stressed out about the productions. He knew it was a lie so he asked Stefan to ask her. She told Stefan the same thing. Ric couldn't get it out of her either.<p>

It was Wednesday night and that was usually the night that Damon hung out with Lisa. Stefan and Ric were in Denver for a couple of days. Caroline was in her room going over some production things for 'Rent' when Damon knocked on the door and went inside.

"Hey, what are you doing tonight?" He asked curiously and Caroline looked up at him.

"Why?" She asked. She'd learned her lesson the hard way about saying 'nothing'.

"I just wanted to know if you want to come out with me and Lisa." He said. Caroline had to fight a _shudder _at the mere thought of that.

"Oh, well I'm supposed to be hanging out with Angela from work." Caroline lied. Damon wasn't entirely sure that he believed her.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously and Caroline figured he knew she was lying.

"Just having some wine and dinner at her place. Max is going out with his brother tonight and he's taking the kids so she wanted some company." Caroline shrugged. She'd decided that would be her lie earlier so she'd practiced it a few times. Damon still wasn't entirely sure he believed her but she didn't _look _like she was lying so he figured he'd just go with it.

"You sure? Do you need a ride?" He asked her.

"No, it's fine. I'm not heading over until I finish this anyway." She pointed to the papers and he nodded.

"Caroline... what's going on?" He asked her softly and she could see the worry on his face.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Is... Are you not happy with me?" He asked her and she looked surprised.

"I love you, where are you even getting this?" She asked confused.

"You just seem to be getting more and more distant. If something's bothering you, you can talk to me." He said sincerely. _No, I really can't_, she thought to herself.

"Fine." She sighed. "I..." She started then trailed off. Damon walked into her room and perched on the side of her bed. She looked into his eyes and she saw that she couldn't even say it. It would hurt him and she couldn't do that to him. He nodded for her to continue so she decided to just go with the second thing that was bothering her instead. "I don't know if you'll understand this, but I really miss Bonnie." She said to him. "I missed her so much for years and we've been keeping in touch since Stefan and I went to see her but we really need to spend some time together, you know?" She asked and he nodded.

"Then why don't you go see her? Or ask her here?" He suggested. "If you need some time with Bonnie then make time for Bonnie." He said and her heart twisted at him being so supportive. "You have this weekend off, why don't you go then?" He asked. "Then if things work, ask her to come here? You wouldn't get much time alone with her if you asked her here first." He said.

"We're supposed to be going away together this weekend." She reminded him and he nodded.

"So why don't we do that next weekend instead?" He asked.

"Don't you and Lisa have plans next weekend?" She asked as calmly as she possibly could.

"I'll cancel." He shrugged. "You know I'd rather see you." He winked at her and her stomach clenched because she _did _know that and it only made her feel worse.

"I'll see if Bonnie's free this weekend and if she is, I'll go, but you don't have to cancel next weekend. We have all the time in the world, right?" She asked but Damon noticed something in her eyes. Something he didn't want to see. Damon was worried that she was going to break up with him.

"Stefan's pissy about me going away for the weekend with his girlfriend anyway so I'll just cancel. I'd rather not start some kind of _issue _with him again to be honest." He admitted.

"He did mention that." Caroline agreed and Damon looked surprised.

"What did you say?" He asked curiously and she shrugged.

"I told him that he either trusts you both or he doesn't but life would just be easier for everyone if he didn't start to make problems unnecessarily." She said and Damon was sure he felt his veins turn to ice. He knew Caroline was the _seriously _jealous type so the fact she was just _not bothered _had him seriously worried. He was now even more sure that she was going to break up with him.

"You said that?" He asked. "You were kind of jealous in the beginning." He pointed out with a smirk and she shrugged.

"I got over it." She replied and he looked at her confused.

"How'd you do that?" He asked. "I'm still kind of jealous of you being such good friends with Stefan." He said and she shrugged again.

"I got over it because being jealous doesn't change anything. It just causes problems. I figure if you want to be with me, you'll be with me, if you don't, you won't. So what's the point in being jealous?" She asked him and Damon just _stared _at her. He along with Stefan and Alaric had noticed Caroline withdrawing into herself a little more every day. She wasn't as social. She didn't open up to any of them. She wasn't interested in much other than work. Damon saw that she clearly wasn't happy but he didn't know what to do about it. Something he'd also noticed, she never just walked up and kissed him anymore. She never made any kind of move to be affectionate in any way. He was always the one that kissed _her _or held _her _hand or tried it on in bed. She never did anything first anymore.

"Okay." He replied because he had no idea what else to say. "By the way, why haven't you gone to meet the Dean yet?" He asked. "He asked me to remind you."

"Because I already know what the meeting is about." She replied.

"What's it about?" He asked and she shrugged.

"Apparently, they want to hire me for next year as the Senior Production Manager." She replied and his jaw dropped. That was a _major _promotion.

"Oh my God. That's amazing." He said to her. "When did you find that out?" He asked.

"Like two weeks ago." She replied casually and he looked confused.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I just haven't decided if I'm taking it or not yet." She said and Damon felt like he'd been slapped because he was now _certain _it was because she was planning to leave him as soon as the productions were over.

"Why _wouldn't _you take it?" He asked confused. "I thought you loved the job." He said.

"I do." She nodded.

"Then why?" He asked confused.

"Because when the productions are over next month, I'll have nothing to do until October." She lied. "So I've applied for a job in Denver." She said and Damon looked kind of shocked.

"In _Denver_?" He asked confused.

"It only takes like an hour to drive there, Damon." She pointed out. He kind of meant his point to be that she hadn't told him anything about it.

"A job doing what?" He asked.

"Well, apparently the casting director the college uses also works in Denver and he mentioned me to someone there so I got a call from the Denver Theatre District asking me to apply for basically the same job the college wants me for but it's all year and almost twice the pay." She said and Damon looked surprised.

"That's... amazing. Congratulations." He said to her. "So, are you taking that job then?" He asked.

"I don't know yet." She replied and he looked confused.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Doing a college production is kind of different than working for the Denver Theatre District. They have thirteen theatres and it's kind of a _huge _job. It's a lot of responsibility but at the same time I'd be busy like _all the time _so that's kind of appealing." She shrugged and he looked even more confused.

"So, you'd basically just be in Denver all the time." He said.

"Probably. I'd be responsible for _a lot _of productions." She said.

"Well, what about me?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"Well... am I not a factor in your decision?" He asked bluntly. She was really trying hard not to burst into hysterical tears. She was concentrating all of her energy on looking calm and indifferent.

"Obviously, Damon. Why do you think I haven't decided yet?" She asked and he looked surprised.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, the job in Denver is a three year contract and the job at the university is a one year contract. I would _rather _have the job in Denver but I can't sign a three year contract considering you're planning to only work at the college for another year." She said and he looked surprised.

"So compel them to make it a one year contract and maybe you can get a transfer to another theatre somewhere else when we leave?" He suggested and she thought about that.

"What exactly _is _the plan when we leave?" She asked curiously.

"You mean, moving somewhere else?" He asked and she nodded. "Well, it's up to you. Remember I said you should pick the next place?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"I mean Stefan doesn't really care where we go and Lisa can open a bar anywhere so wherever you want to go." Damon smiled and Caroline felt her heart sink at the fact Lisa would automatically be going wherever they were going. She realised it would _always _be like that. Damon saw her momentary desolate look and it had him even more worried. He didn't know what was going on with her at all.

"In that case, I guess my decision's made for me." She said and Damon instantly realised what she meant and he didn't know what he said that was wrong. "I'll let them know." Caroline nodded. "Anyway, you're late." She said pointing to the clock. It was 6.34pm and he was supposed to be picking Lisa up from work at 6.30pm.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" He asked her and he felt kind of broken because he loved her so much and he couldn't understand how their relationship had gone from being so amazing to so... awkward. He didn't know what he'd done wrong.

"I have plans already." She replied and he nodded.

"Can I have a kiss?" He asked and her stomach clenched.

"You don't usually ask." She replied. He cupped her cheek then kissed her. He noticed that she was holding back. It was like she kissed him because she _had _to, not because she _wanted _to.

Damon had no idea what to do.

* * *

><p>On the Friday afternoon, Damon dropped Caroline off at the airport then drove home. He got in and found Stefan and Ric sitting on the couches and he slumped down.<p>

"What's wrong?" Ric asked curiously.

"I'm pretty sure Caroline's going to dump me." Damon sighed and they both looked surprised.

"No, I don't think so." Stefan said.

"She doesn't act remotely interested in me anymore." Damon said confused.

"She told me the happiest day of her life will be the day she marries you because it'll mean she gets to be with you forever. I really doubt she'd _ever _dump you." Stefan said and Damon cocked an eyebrow at that.

"When did she say that?" Damon asked.

"Like the week after we got here." Stefan shrugged. "See? She knew even then." He pointed out and Damon rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but that was then. She doesn't want to spend any time with me, she never wants to have sex, hell she wouldn't even kiss me if I didn't kiss her first." He muttered.

"Something definitely _is _going on with her." Ric agreed. "She hasn't called me 'dumbass' in like two months. I don't think she's called me anything _but _that for like four years." He said.

"I did notice that." Stefan agreed. "Though she never wants to spend any time with me either." He pointed out. "We're supposed to be best friends and she never tells me anything anymore. She's _always _busy when I ask her to hang out. She _never _asks me to hang out anymore whereas before she'd just expect me to drop whatever I was doing and hang out with her whether I liked it or not." He said.

"This can't just be about Bonnie." Damon said. "The other night she lied about going out to see Angela from work. I bumped into Angela the next day and she said that Caroline and I should come over for dinner sometime because she feels like she hasn't seen Caroline in weeks, but Caroline lied and said she had a great time at Angela's." Damon said.

"Did you bring it up to her?" Ric asked confused. "Caroline like _never _lies. She hates lies more than anything." He said.

"No, I didn't say anything. I don't want to fight with her and she won't tell me what the real problem is so I'd rather not rock the boat." Damon sighed.

"All she ever says is that she's stressed about the production but I followed her one time to work and she behaves like Caroline Forbes at work and it's obvious that she loves every minute of it... then she leaves work and is all quiet and withdrawn and... I'm so worried." Stefan admitted...


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: Just one chapter to go after this and it'll be like a chapter/epilogue.

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 6

* * *

><p>Bonnie picked Caroline up at the airport and noticed she was very quiet and withdrawn the whole way back to Bonnie's house. Bonnie was concerned. She'd <em>never <em>seen Caroline like this. They finally got to the house and Caroline sat down on the couch and Bonnie sat next to her. Before Bonnie could say anything, Caroline just burst into uncontrollable tears. That _shocked _Bonnie as Caroline was never much of a crier.

"Care, what's wrong?" Bonnie asked her concerned as she hugged her.

"I can't do it anymore." Caroline cried.

"Do what, sweetie?" Bonnie soothed.

"I'm just so afraid all the time. I can't feel like this anymore." She cried. That had Bonnie on alert.

"What are you afraid of?" Bonnie asked her worriedly.

"Damon's best friend Lisa." Caroline revealed. "Damon's best friends with her, Stefan's going out with her and she's managed to get Ric to be really good friends with her too... none of them would believe me." She sobbed.

"You know that I'll always believe you." Bonnie comforted and Caroline nodded.

"I've missed you so much." Caroline wept.

"You know that I've missed you so much too. Tell me what's been going on." Bonnie pushed concerned.

* * *

><p>Damon, Stefan <em>and <em>Ric went to the airport on the Sunday night to pick her up because they'd all missed her so much. They were all shocked when she walked out of the arrivals doors withBonnie beside her. That had Damon seriously worried. What was going on that was so bad that Bonnie would drop everything to come back home with her?

"Isn't this a surprise?" Damon asked with a smile. "How are you doing, Bonnie?"

"I'm good, Damon. How are you?" She asked politely. Damon could tell that Bonnie was kind of annoyed at him so clearly Caroline had said something. He just didn't understand what was going on that she felt like she couldn't tell him.

"I just missed my girl." Damon admitted and Bonnie cocked an eyebrow at him which he found strange but he kissed Caroline anyway and took her bag from her.

"I missed you too, Care." Stefan said sincerely.

"Bonnie Bennett. Haven't seen you in years." Ric smiled then hugged her and she hugged him back.

* * *

><p>Bonnie was kind of off with Damon and Stefan and they both noticed but neither said anything. Damon did invite her to stay with them and she accepted because Caroline had asked her to. Caroline spent <em>all <em>of her time with Bonnie. They were practically glued together. Damon was getting kind of annoyed with that considering he hadn't spent more than five minutes alone with her since Bonnie got there. Bonnie went to work with her too and Caroline compelled anyone that had a problem with that. Caroline urged Damon to go away with Lisa the following weekend so he did because he clearly wasn't getting any time with Caroline.

When he got back, Caroline was even _more _distant but she was _always _with Bonnie so he never got a chance to talk to her about it. The following week was the opening of the two productions that Caroline had been working on. There were two performances of each and they all went to all four of them. Damon noticed that Bonnie was even backstage with Caroline during the performances. She never left her side. He knew it was Caroline's doing and not Bonnie's that they were glued together but he couldn't understand why. He tried _so _hard with her. Even Stefan and Ric admitted that he'd been an amazing boyfriend the entire time they were together. He couldn't understand what the hell he'd done wrong.

The day after the last production, Bonnie wandered over to Damon who was in the kitchen to talk to him.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd drive me to the airport tomorrow morning?" Bonnie requested and he looked surprised.

"You're leaving?" He asked confused.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She giggled. "It was just a vacation." She pointed out.

"Yeah, but... I just figured that you were staying since Caroline likes having you here so much." Damon replied.

"It's been amazing spending so much time with her." Bonnie agreed.

"Bonnie... I know that you don't repeat anything that she says but can you tell me what the hell I've done wrong? I've tried so hard with her and she won't tell me what's wrong. She won't tell me why she's totally retreated into her shell. She won't tell me what I did." Damon pleaded and Bonnie was surprised at how broken up Damon was about it. Bonnie just sighed in response.

"All I can tell you is that Caroline loves you more than you could possibly imagine." Bonnie said and Damon looked confused.

"Then why won't she _be _with me?" He asked.

"I'll talk to her." Bonnie replied and Damon nodded.

"Thank you." He said sincerely and Bonnie saw all over Damon's face how much he cared about her.

"Do you love her?" Bonnie questioned.

"More than anything or anyone combined." He replied and Bonnie was visibly surprised by his answer.

"I'll talk to her." Bonnie repeated though she only meant it the second time that she said it.

* * *

><p>Damon wasn't aware that driving Bonnie to the airport was a diversion tactic. As soon as they left, Caroline packed up her room. She didn't have all that much as she'd been slowly getting rid of anything she didn't absolutely <em>need <em>because she knew that this day was coming. She'd only stayed because of the production as she'd made a commitment to it and she never broke commitments. She was trying so hard to stay calm. She didn't want to cry. She finished packing her stuff then left her room and got a couple of things from the living room that were hers just as the door opened and in walked Stefan. Caroline's eyes widened at the sight of him and his jaw dropped at the sight of all of her bags.

"What are you doing?" Stefan panicked.

"I'm leaving." Caroline revealed and Stefan looked shocked and confused.

"Why?" He asked her heartbrokenly.

"I just have to leave, Stefan. Can we not make a big thing out of this?" She asked him annoyed as she put her jacket on – she was trying to stay annoyed so that she wouldn't be distraught externally the way she was internally.

"Care, please, tell me what's wrong. Please don't go." He pleaded and she couldn't stop it any longer and burst into tears which surprised him because she'd shown very little emotion for months and he knew that she hardly ever cried.

"I can't do it anymore!" She yelled at him. "I can't live like this or feel this way anymore! So please, I'm begging you, just let me go!"

"But... you're my best friend. The best friend that I've ever had. I'd go anywhere with you." He said to her emotionally. "If you don't want to be with Damon, that's fine, I'll go with you." He said to her sincerely and she shook her head.

"No, Stefan. Please. Just stay with Damon. He's going to be hurt and he'll need you." Caroline refused.

"But _I _need _you_." He said as tears welled in his eyes and she sobbed.

"I can't. Please, let me go." She begged him brokenly.

"What's going on? Talk to me. We can deal with whatever it is." He said and she shook her head again.

"You have no idea how much I love you. And I will miss you forever, but you have to just forget about me. Pretend that I didn't exist. I can't be friends with you anymore, Stefan. I can't be with Damon anymore. I can't be friends with Ric anymore. I love the three of you more than you'll ever know, but it's finished, Stefan. I'm leaving and you'll never see me again." She said to him and he looked shocked while she wiped her eyes but it was no use, tears fell anyway. She grabbed her bags and picked them up. "I'm sorry. Tell Damon and Ric that I'm sorry."

"Caroline, please." Stefan pleaded with her as tears fell down his face.

"Forget me, Stefan, because I'm not coming back." She declared then raced out the door at vampire speed and Stefan collapsed on the couch and sobbed.

* * *

><p>Damon picked Ric up from town then the two of them went back to the house. They walked in the door and found Stefan crying his eyes out and they both looked <em>stunned<em>.

"What the hell happened?" Damon asked him concerned and kind of shocked. He'd never seen his brother so upset.

"Caroline left." Stefan sobbed and Damon felt like he'd been punched.

"What?" Ric exclaimed in disbelief.

"It was a diversion." Damon said shocked. "Bonnie... she knew that Caroline was going to do this. What the hell did she say?" Damon demanded.

"She said that she couldn't do it anymore, she couldn't feel this way anymore and that she loves the three of us more than we'll ever know but we'd never see her again and we should forget her because she's never coming back." Stefan rambled as he sobbed. "She wouldn't even let me go with her. I'd go anywhere for her." Stefan sobbed absolutely shattered into his hands.

"Did she tell you _why_?" Ric asked as his own tears welled as he adored the bubbly blonde.

"No. I practically begged her to tell me what was wrong but she wouldn't." Stefan bawled. Damon felt completely desolate in that moment. He didn't say anything else, he just went upstairs to his room and collapsed on his bed.

* * *

><p>Caroline got to the airport hotel and checked into her room. Bonnie hadn't actually flown out and she was in the hotel waiting for Caroline because they were flying to Virginia instead the next morning. She made her way up to her floor then dumped her bags. She was <em>so <em>heartbroken. She left her room to go to Bonnie's room when Lisa appeared in front of her with a smirk.

"Thought you'd get away without me noticing, huh?" Lisa tormented then two other vampires appeared at her sides. Caroline froze in fear.

"You got what you wanted! I left them. Why can't you just leave me alone?" Caroline pleaded.

"You leaving is not what I wanted." Lisa glared at her. "You were supposed to make Damon fall out of love with you but he still loves you so you failed. You'll pay for that." She harassed.

* * *

><p>Bonnie was really worried. Caroline was supposed to be there hours ago. It was nearly dinner time and she hadn't heard from her. Her phone was off. She decided that she had to call Ric to see if Caroline was still with them.<p>

"_Bonnie!_" Ric answered.

"Ric, have you seen Caroline?" Bonnie asked worriedly.

"_No, she left._" Ric responded and Bonnie could hear how devastated he was.

"Ric... I'm still in Colorado. I'm at the airport hotel. She was supposed to meet me here and she never showed." Bonnie admitted.

"_Bonnie, what the hell is going on?_" Ric exclaimed worriedly and she sighed.

"Pick me up... then I'll tell you." Bonnie relented.

* * *

><p>Ric picked Bonnie up and they drove back to the house. Bonnie had a hunch and refused to talk until she checked out the hunch. They got back to the house and went inside. Stefan and Damon were stunned to see Bonnie considering she was supposed to have left that morning.<p>

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked stunned. Just then Lisa walked out of the kitchen and Bonnie glared at her.

"Where the hell is she?" Bonnie yelled at Lisa furiously.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Lisa replied curtly.

"What's going on?" Stefan asked confused. Bonnie saw something in Lisa's eyes so she used her magic and Lisa grabbed her head in pain.

"What the hell are you doing?" Damon asked angrily. Bonnie walked over to Lisa and grabbed her head and concentrated Damon moved forward towards her and Bonnie held her hand out and he froze in place. "Bonnie!" Damon exclaimed confused. Moments later, Lisa passed out and Bonnie's eyes snapped open.

"Where is her lake house?" Bonnie raged.

"For what?" Ric asked confused as to why Bonnie was so livid towards Lisa.

"GOD, YOU THREE ARE IDIOTS!" Bonnie bellowed at them and they all looked shocked at her losing her temper with them so much.

"Bonnie, why did you make Lisa pass out? What did she do?" Stefan pushed confused.

"**She** is why Caroline tried to leave!" Bonnie exclaimed and all three of their jaws dropped.

"What?" Damon gasped shocked.

"Caroline is _terrified_ of her! Absolutely _petrified_ to the point she's considered meeting the sun to get away from her!" Bonnie yelled and all three of them felt like they might fall over in shock because they'd had _no idea_.

"What? Why?" Stefan panicked confused trying to think over if he'd ever noticed even a smidgen of that.

"Because Lisa has been victimizing her, threatening her life and at the moment has two vampires torturing her at her lake house!" Bonnie snapped.

"WHAT?" Damon exclaimed outraged.

"So one of you will tell me where the hell it is so I can go rescue her _now_." Bonnie glared at them.

"If she's hurt Caroline, I'll fucking kill her." Ric snarled surprising Bonnie that he just instantly believed her. "Let's go, Bon." Ric encouraged and Bonnie hurried out of the door after him. Damon and Stefan stared at each other in disbelief and true shock. Stefan darted over to Lisa and shocked Damon by reaching down and snapping her neck then throwing her over his shoulder.

"Let's go." Stefan said.

* * *

><p>Bonnie got into the front of Ric's car and Ric was just about to get into the driver's side when he was pushed out of the way by Damon.<p>

"What are you doing?" Ric asked confused.

"You won't drive like I will. Get in the back." Damon snapped then jumped behind the wheel and started the car before Stefan and Ric had even closed the doors. Stefan had the passed out Lisa across his lap in case he had to incapacitate her again. Damon slammed down the accelerator and started driving like a madman to the lake house. "Bonnie, what the hell is going on?" Damon asked. "I want to hear _everything_." He demanded angrily.

"Fine." Bonnie sighed. "A couple of weeks after Caroline and Stefan showed up here, Lisa cornered Caroline and told her that if Caroline didn't do as she said, she'd kill not only her but her mom too. She even showed Caroline pictures that were taken of Liz in Mystic Falls just going about her day." Bonnie revealed and all of them were shocked.

"But _why_?" Damon asked confused as Lisa had never been anything like that with him.

"Because Lisa is in love with you, Damon." Bonnie said and Damon swerved the car in shock.

"What?" He gasped in disbelief while Stefan blinked in surprise wondering why Lisa had wanted to go out with him if she desired Damon.

"Lisa told Caroline that she knows vampires all over the world and if Caroline tried to run, they'd find her no problem then torture her and kill her. Caroline's job was to make you fall out of love with her so that Lisa could have you." Bonnie explained and Damon felt true shock for the first time in his life because he himself knew that Lisa knew vampires around the world but he'd never thought in a million years that she would harm Caroline.

"But... why didn't Caroline tell me all of this?" Damon asked confused.

"Because Lisa told her that you wouldn't believe her. Stefan is Caroline's best friend so Lisa started dating him believing that if she was the best girlfriend ever, Stefan would believe her over Caroline, and she befriended Ric so that none of you would believe Caroline because you'd think she was just jealous that Lisa got along so well with all of you. Lisa told her that you tell Lisa everything and trust her completely so you'd never believe Caroline over her and Stefan would take your side over hers and Caroline is _really _insecure so she believed her. She also said that if she breathed a word about it to any of you, she'd kill Liz and Caroline wouldn't ever be able to prove it was her." Bonnie confessed. "If you don't believe it, Caroline actually let me see her memories of all of it. I came back here with her because Caroline was too terrified to come back alone."

"She's everything to us. We would never not believe her." Ric said heartbroken.

"I can't believe she had to live so afraid for so long." Stefan whispered as he started to sob again. He'd been a weepy mess all day.

"Why didn't **you** tell me this?" Damon glared at Bonnie.

"Would you have believed me, Damon?" Bonnie sighed.

"I told you that day in the kitchen what she means to me." Damon shot daggers at her.

"You also told me that Lisa is the best friend you've ever had." Bonnie reminded him and he scowled.

"That's because she never acted like a fucking psycho with me!" Damon exclaimed. "She was always amazing with me, so how was I supposed to know?"

"You didn't find it remotely odd that Caroline avoided her like the plague? You didn't find it odd that Stefan liked Lisa and Ric liked Lisa but Caroline _never _spent _any _time with her?" Bonnie asked dryly.

"I just thought that Caroline didn't really like her much because she was a little jealous which she admitted in the first week that she was here. She never made _any _indication of anything else. She never said a single bad thing about Lisa. How was I supposed to know?" Damon asked annoyed.

"Oh my God." Ric said in realisation. "She stopped calling me 'Dumbass' after that time I first hung out with Lisa alone." He said shocked.

"Huh?" Bonnie asked confused.

"She calls me Dumbass and I call her some name to do with cheerleading, it's our thing." Ric said. "Well, it _was_." He corrected. "Can I kill her now?" Ric asked angrily glancing at Lisa…

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you enjoyed :) Let me know what you thought if you have a minute, please? It would mean a lot :D


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: Last chapter, thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed this :)

* * *

><p>The Reason<p>

Chapter 7

* * *

><p>Damon's heart was in his mouth. He was <em>so <em>worried. He parked the car about half a mile away so that the vampires wouldn't hear them coming. Ric picked Bonnie up and Stefan had the still unconscious Lisa over his shoulder and they sped to the lake house. As they approached they heard a scream that could only be Caroline and Bonnie was surprised when all three of them vamped out in fury and they only ran faster. The screams were coming from the shed. Damon threw the doors open and both his hands were in the two vampires chests before they could say anything and he tossed their hearts aside then he looked at Caroline and felt like he wanted to die. She was staked through the arms to the wall.

"Damon." She whimpered and he went to her and yanked out the stakes then sat down on the ground with her in his lap.

"I'm so sorry." He said to her in a whisper. Stefan tossed Lisa on the ground then sped to Caroline's side.

"Care." Stefan gasped then he started to cry _again_.

* * *

><p>Damon stayed behind while the others took Caroline home and he decided to teach Lisa a lesson. He put stakes through her arms which pinned her to the wall – just like what was done to Caroline. He stared at the woman he'd thought was his eternal ally and he was heartbroken. He'd trusted her so much. He'd told her almost all of his secrets. He would have done anything for her – he couldn't understand how she could hurt who he loved most and betray him so badly.<p>

He thought over his interactions with her since Caroline and Stefan found him – nothing had stuck out before, but now that he knew everything, certain things made sense. It was so _obvious _in retrospect.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

On the Wednesday that he was late to pick her up after talking to Caroline about her job choices, she was waiting outside of the bar when his car pulled up. He parked then she climbed into the front seat, leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"Hey, what took so long?" She inquired.

"Sorry, I was just talking to Caroline about something important." Damon answered and she sighed.

"Is she opening up to you about what's wrong?" Lisa cocked her eyebrow.

"No. Not a word. She said that she misses Bonnie but it can't just be that, right?" Damon asked worriedly as he started the car and drove away from the kerb.

"Well, they were close all of their lives, right?" Lisa tested and he nodded. "She's just around guys all the time. Maybe she just needs a girl friend." Lisa advised.

"You know, I'd really hoped that you two would be friends." Damon responded.

"So had I, but no matter how much I try with her, it's very obvious that she doesn't like me, Damon." Lisa pointed out and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't think that she dislikes you, Lis." Damon denied. "I think she's just a little jealous."

"No, she told Stefan that she hates me." Lisa lied and Damon looked surprised as Stefan hadn't mentioned that.

"Guess I'll have to talk to him and find out exactly what she said." Damon replied.

"Don't. I don't want to cause any problems. It'll probably just take a little time, that's all. Besides, Stefan asked me not to tell you, so you can't tell him." She bid.

"Alright." Damon sighed because he wouldn't break her trust.

"She didn't want to come with us tonight?" Lisa tested.

"No, she said that she has plans with a colleague but I don't know if I believe her or not." Damon admitted.

"I'm sure that you can trust her, Damon. I really doubt that she'd cheat on you." Lisa soothed and Damon looked surprised – he hadn't even considered her cheating before, but now he couldn't _help _thinking about it.

* * *

><p><em>Present<em>

Damon scowled at the memory. Lisa had been trying to make him doubt Caroline. She'd made up lies about Caroline, like her telling that to Stefan when Stefan denied that she ever told him anything about Lisa. It wasn't the only conversation that went like that. Damon realised then that Lisa had been filling his head with doubts for much longer than he'd even recognized.

* * *

><p>Lisa woke up groggily and her arms seared with agony. She noticed then that she was staked to the wall through the arms and she whimpered in pain then looked up and saw Damon lounging against the wall across from her with his arms crossed over his chest. She noticed that they were alone in the shed next to her house.<p>

"Damon... what... let me down." She directed confused as to why he wasn't helping her.

"Oh, I don't think so, Lisa." He denied coldly. "You know how much I love her. You know that she's everything to me. How could you possibly _ever _think I would fall out of love with her?" He probed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said as tears stung her eyes at the fact it was clearly _him _who'd pinned her to the wall with the stakes.

"Oh, so two vampires you know just _happened _to take Caroline. They just _happened _to take her to your house. It had nothing to do with you?" He questioned sarcastically while cocking an eyebrow.

"She doesn't deserve you!" Lisa exclaimed. "She couldn't accept you for who you are! You had to change completely for her to be with you! I would never do that to you!" She yelled.

"No, Lisa. She loved me before I left Mystic Falls. She wanted me just the way I was. _I _wanted to be better for _her_. I refused to be with her until I sorted my head out. She looked for me all over the world just to tell me that she loves me – _just the way I am_." He countered.

"So, what? Our years of friendship mean nothing to you?" She sniffed as tears streaked her face.

"You meant so much to me. You have no idea how much I loved you. You were the best friend that I ever had. I saw you as my rock. You helped me stop being a monster... then you go and try to destroy the thing that I love most in the world? That erased anything that I loved about you. That erased every happy memory I have with you in it. You fucked me over worse than anyone else ever has." He declared and she looked shocked.

"Damon, no… I just love you so much. Don't you see? I'd do anything for you because I love you more than I ever thought possible." She sobbed.

"No, you don't love me. If you _actually _loved me, you would want me to be happy. You would want that for me even if it wasn't with you. So you don't love me. Caroline is the sweetest most wonderful person that I've ever met. How you could even _consider _doing what you did baffles me beyond reason and I will _never _forgive you." He promised and she sobbed loudly.

"Please, Damon." She pleaded.

"No." He shook his head and walked over to her.

"What are you doing?" She examined confused.

"I'm going to kill you." He disclosed and her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"What?" She asked shocked that he _would_.

"Guess I'll always be a monster. But that's okay because Caroline loves me anyway and she's all that matters to me." He confessed then stuck his hand in her chest and pulled her heart out.

* * *

><p>Damon ran all the way home after he'd set Lisa and the other two vampires on fire. The others had left right away to get Caroline home so she could get blood and heal, and all Damon wanted to do was go see her and make sure that she was okay. Damon had cried his eyes out after he killed Lisa because he'd spent <em>so much <em>time with her. He couldn't believe that she'd done that to Caroline. He'd trusted her with almost every secret he had and she betrayed him so badly. He was so upset that Lisa had not only hurt Caroline but she'd _terrified _her for months. He was angry and hurt and distraught but most of all, he was so worried about Caroline.

He got into the house and Stefan, Ric and Bonnie were sitting on the couches. They knew that Damon was going to kill Lisa and judging by his slightly red-rimmed eyes, he'd obviously done it.

"Where is she?" Damon asked them softly – he was still a mess of emotions. He was sure that Caroline was going to tell him to go to hell for not noticing Lisa's lunacy earlier.

"In her bed." Stefan answered and Damon nodded then walked down the hall and went into her room. She was asleep, so he closed the door and walked in then sat down on the edge of the bed. She'd healed. He was so relieved that she was okay. He ran his hand down her cheek softly then she stirred and opened her eyes sleepily.

"Damon?" She whispered sleepily as she'd wondered where he was.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline." He apologised emotionally. "I failed you so badly." He added full of remorse. She reached up and took his hand then her thumb gently rubbed over his hand.

"No, you didn't." She whispered. "I never told you. I was... just so afraid for my mom." She admitted and he nodded because he did completely understand that.

"I killed her." Damon disclosed and Caroline looked shocked. "She can't hurt you ever again." He swore softly. "Please don't leave me." He begged in a broken whisper.

"You killed her?" Caroline asked in disbelief and he nodded.

"Of course. The monster isn't totally gone." He admitted. "I'd kill anyone who hurt you." He promised. "Anyone." He emphasised.

"You still love me? Even though I've pushed you away for so long?" She whispered.

"I told you that I'd always love you and that's still true." He agreed and her stomach fluttered.

"Lie with me?" She requested and he smiled. He took off his jacket and kicked off his boots then pulled his jeans off and Caroline folded back the covers and moved over. He climbed in beside her and pulled her into him and she snuggled into him as close as she could get then put her arm around his waist. "I love you so much." She said and his heart trembled because she hadn't said it like _that _in a long time. He thought that it felt so amazing to have her in his arms again. It was so amazing that she was acting like she wanted to be there again.

"Did you really tell Stefan that you want to marry me and be with me forever?" Damon queried and Caroline looked at him wide eyed and he saw her visibly blush in mortification.

"He _told_ you that?" Caroline gasped in humiliation and he smirked. "I'm going to kick his ass." She muttered embarrassed and he chuckled and ran his hand affectionately through her hair.

"Did you?" He pushed.

"Uh... well... yeah." She admitted self-consciously and he smiled because he wanted that too. He leaned down to kiss her and she kissed him back with her whole heart. He smiled into the kiss because it was back to the way it was before. He was ecstatic that she still wanted him, despite his clear lack of skills in making decent friends.

"Why are you embarrassed?" He inquired when he pulled away.

"Because Stefan's got a big mouth." She muttered dryly and he chuckled.

"Caroline?" He whispered and she looked at him. "Will you marry me?" He requested and she looked stunned that he was actually asking.

"Are you serious?" She examined and he smiled and cupped her cheek softly.

"I am irrevocably and completely head over heels in love with you. There is nothing I would ever want more than to be with you forever. So, yes, I'm completely serious. I know I'm an ass and I'll always be a bit of a monster, but I _was _born in the 1800s, so the thought of you being my wife makes me deliriously happy." He admitted with a smirk and she giggled a little while a huge grin spread on her face because the thought made _her _deliriously happy too.

"Well, clearly, you already know my answer because of your big mouth brother." She said and he smirked.

"Pretend I didn't hear him say that." He bid and she smiled. She understood that he wanted her to say it. To accept from _him_, not through anyone else.

"Yes, Damon. I'd love to marry you." She smiled and he kissed her passionately because it was probably the best thing that anyone had ever said to him.

* * *

><p>Stefan and Ric were all out <em>grinning <em>at each other because they were _total _eavesdroppers and had been listening the whole time.

"What?" Bonnie asked them confused by their delighted expressions.

"Damon just asked Caroline to marry him." Ric whispered and Bonnie's jaw dropped.

"Really?" She asked shocked but still in a whisper.

"Yeah." Stefan grinned widely.

"What did she say?" Bonnie asked nosily – kind of wanting vampire hearing for stuff like this.

"Yes." Ric grinned and Bonnie giggled at how happy the two of them were about it.

"I'm going to go get Care's stuff from the hotel." Stefan disclosed as he stood up.

"Is it okay if I crash here tonight?" Bonnie tested.

"Of course, Bonnie. You can stay as long as you want to." Stefan said sincerely.

"Then can I come with you? I need to get my stuff." She advised.

"Then I'm coming too." Ric piped up because he wasn't sticking around alone in the house with vampire hearing while Damon and Caroline seemed to be getting 'reacquainted'.

* * *

><p>Damon heard the three of them leave the house and he chuckled knowing they'd totally listened – he was going to kick the boys' asses.<p>

"They totally heard us, you know." Caroline counselled and Damon shrugged.

"I don't care. They already know that I'm a total sap for you." He winked and she laughed.

"Is that so?" She teased and he smirked then kissed her.

"Mmhmm." He nodded. "You know... I only have one more week of teaching then two weeks of exams... why don't we leave after that?" He suggested and she looked surprised.

"I thought that you loved this town." She countered and he shrugged.

"I think that we should go somewhere else and get a fresh start." He opined.

"Do you want to keep teaching?" She queried.

"Yeah, but I think I'll do a different subject next time." He agreed.

"Like what?" She inquired.

"Physics, chemistry or another field of biology. Still a science just not what I've been teaching here." He answered.

"I love this house though." She smirked.

"There are nice houses everywhere." He pointed out and she smiled.

"Okay." She nodded in acceptance because she could tell that he _wanted _to move somewhere else. She figured that the house and town was just a reminder of Lisa and he didn't want that. "Want me to start looking for jobs for you while you're busy finishing up the year?" She offered and he looked surprised.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yeah." She smiled. "It'll give me a chance to find a job nearby similar to what I've been doing since the college gave me a stellar reference." She grinned and he chuckled.

"You did amazingly well at the college. The productions were perfect." He praised. Caroline realised in that moment that they were alone in bed in an empty house and they hadn't slept together in weeks and she was horny as hell.

"Damon?" Caroline smirked.

"What?" He asked curiously.

"It has just occurred to me that we have the house to ourselves." She mentioned and he looked at her confused.

"And?" He asked and she giggled.

"Don't you think that it's about time that we got naked and made up for some lost time?" She purred and he laughed in understanding.

"I _always _think that we should be getting naked." He winked at her and she giggled. "Are you okay, though?" He asked concerned.

"I'll be better when you put Sappy Damon away for a while and bring back Damon 'Sex God' Salvatore." She joked and he laughed loudly at that. He was so glad that Blunt Caroline was back. He'd missed her so much.

"Sex God?" He asked entertained.

"You do have mad skills in the sack and you know it." She teased and he smirked.

"I do know that." He agreed amused and she chuckled at him being cocky. "But... I'm just worried about you." He admitted and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm a vampire. I'm all healed." She assured and he looked at her sceptically. "Guess I'll just have to tempt you." She smirked. He watched her face change then fast as a cobra she bit into his neck and he groaned and hardened immediately.

"I really don't have any self-control." He muttered and she giggled against his neck then pulled away.

"Good." She smirked then literally ripped his t-shirt off and he only grew harder.

"God, I've missed you." He moaned then crashed his lips to hers and she giggled against his mouth…

* * *

><p>She knew that they would be okay. He knew that they would be okay.<p>

They were, after all, each other's reason.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Thanks to everyone and I hope that you enjoyed the last chapter :)**


End file.
